Pace trio, led by Taskin Ahmed shared seven wickets among them, as Abahani Limited outplayed Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club by 10 wickets to keep their winning streak in the Dhaka Premier Division League Cricket.
Abahani Limited captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto after winning the toss sent Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club to bat first on a dampened Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur on Thursday.
The pace spearhead Taskin took two wickets when two of his national team partners Shoriful and Tanzim Hasan Sakib claimed four and one wicket each.
Sheikh Jamal, who played without their top performer, the ace allrounder Shakib Al Hasan, were bundled out for a paltry 88 runs by 22.4 overs.
Shakib AL Hassan is now in USA with his family and is expecting to return ahead of the five-match T20 series against Zimbabwe to start from May 3.
Sheikh Jamal, who made an upsetting start with losing the first wicket on 17 and after losing the second wicket for 32 runs, could not halt the collapse as they were losing wickets in regular interval.
Against the stormy pace attacks, opener Shykat Ali was the highest scorer with 23 runs followed by Yasir Ali, Saif Hassan and Taibur Rahman were the other notable contributors with 17, 16 and 14 runs respectively.
Shoriful was the top wicket taker with four in his seven overs spell with conceding 35 runs when Taskin conceded 16 runs in five overs to claim two wickets. Tanzim Sakib picked up one and spinner Tanvir Islam joined the celebration with two wickets when the left-arm Orthodox conceded only seven runs in his 4.4 overs.
Chasing to a modest target, openers Anamul Haque and Mohammad Naim were remained unbeaten with rapid 37 and 53 runs respectively to score 91 runs in 10.2 overs.
Anamul Haque in his quick fire 37 played only 22 balls hammered three boundaries and as many over boundaries when Mohammad Naim was also in fierce mood to score 53 off 40 balls.
Naim hit eight fours and two sixes. Abahani, who kept their unbeaten run in the group phase, won 11th matches in a row when the victory ensured the Sky-Blue a huge advantage in Super League phase as they are eying to defend the title.
The reigning champions will start the six-team Super League phase with six points clear from their closest rivals.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Jamal had eight wins from 11 matches when Mohammedan Sporting Club and Shinepukur who will play their last game of the first phase today, could join Jamal in securing eight wins before the Super League.
Sheikh Jamal had eight wins from 11 matches when Mohammedan Sporting Club and Shinepukur who will play their last game of the first phase today, could join Jamal in securing eight wins before the Super League.
Meanwhile, Shinepukur and Prime Bank also confirmed the Super League in the DPL when at the Ground-3 BKSP Shinepukur Cricket Club registered a 67-run victory over Legends of Rupganj in their last group match. Shinepukur’s victory over Rupganj sent Prime Bank and Mohammedan, who have seven victories under their belt, to the Super Six phase.