Time for the championship bid

The outcomes of today's Dhaka Premier League matches may go a long way towards providing a clear picture of the championship race, even though the league does not end till next week.

The focus will be on the BKSP where Tamim Iqbal-led Abahani will take on Mosharraf Hossain's Legends of Rupganj. Rupganj are currently on top with 20 points from 14 games, while Abahani are placed second with 18 points from 13 matches. The winner of this game will already have one hand on the trophy.

While a star-studded Abahani have depended upon the performances of their renowned players, Rupganj have played as a unit.

Rupganj have had to overcome a series of obstacles to reach this far, from their players getting banned to the controversial washout against Brothers Union that deprived them of a point.

Skipper Mosharraf Hossain believes the strength gained from overcoming these setbacks can help them beat Abahani.

“We never believed that we would be able to come so far. It's because we worked as a team. Whenever we needed someone to score or to take wickets, someone always stood up.

“We went through several problems in the league. And they were not expected. Had those things not happened, we probably would have been champions by now,” said Mosharraf.

“Whatever be the case, we need to play as a team. That has been our strength so far and that is what we will depend upon against Abahani as well,” he added.

The key player for Rupganj will be SoumyaSarkar. The national batsman scored a quick 47 in the last game and seemed to be getting back to form. This game will be the perfect time for him to recapture the magic.

As far as Abahani is concerned, they will depend quite a bit on Dinesh Kartik. The Indian batsman scored a century in his first game here and then calmly took Abahani over the line in the last game.

In yet another crucial encounter, Mominul Haque's Victoria Sporting will take on Nasir Hossain's Prime Doleshwar in Fatullah. Victoria are third with 17 points, while Prime Doleshwar are fourth with 16 points, but have a game in hand. With both these teams still in contention for the trophy, the match could be an interesting one.

At the moment, Doleshwar seem to be slightly ahead of Victoria, who struggled in the last game against Abahani. And with Victoria's players yet to receive their payments, they could be going into this game low on morale. 

Both Mominul and Nasir have done well in the league so far and going into this crucial juncture, they will be the key players for their respective sides.

At the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Mohammedan will take on Prime Bank Cricket Club. With both these teams out of the championship race already, the result of this game will not affect the table.