Abahani Limited became unbeaten champions in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2023-24 after they beat Shinepukur Cricket Club by four wickets during their last Super League match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Monday.

Abahani opener Anamul Haque Bijoy was the star of the show as he hit an unbeaten 110 off 120 balls while skipper Mosaddek Hossain made 29 runs as they reached 235-6 in 46.1 overs to finish the tournament with 16 successive victories.

Abahani earlier confirmed their 23rd league title during their third Super League match where they beat Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in a last-over thriller and also ensured their retaining the DPL title.

Earlier, Shinepukur, who won the toss and elected to bat first, reached 183-3 in the 38th over after Amite Hasan and Khalid Hasan made 77 and 58 runs respectively but they lacked big hitting in the death overs which forced them to contend with a mediocre total of 234-8 in their stipulated overs.
Abahani’s Rakibul Hasan finished with 3-29 in his 10 overs.

Meanwhile, Prime Bank Cricket Club pacer Rejaur Rahman Raja stole the limelight on the final day of DPL when he claimed 8-23 in just 6.3 overs – the best List A bowling figure by a Bangladeshi bowler – to wrap up Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club innings for a mere 71 runs.

Raja broke Yeasin Arafat’s previous best bowling figure record of 8-40 which he created for Gazi Group against Abahani in 2018 and his brilliant performance led Prime Bank to a comprehensive 199-run win over Sheikh Jamal.

Earlier, Zakir Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim made 85 and 78 runs respectively before Prime Bank were bowled out for 270 runs in 50 overs after being sent into bat first in Fatullah.
In the day’s other match, Mohammedan Sporting Club beat Gazi Group Cricketers by 53 runs in a low-scoring match at the BKSP-3 ground to finish runners-up in this year’s tournament.

Riding on Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s 44 runs, Mohammedan made 176 runs in 47.3 overs after being asked to bat first. Wasi Siddiquee took 4-42 while Husna Habib Mehedi claimed 3-24 for Gazi Group.
Nayeem Hasan then claimed 3-27 in his nine overs while Mehidy, Nasum Ahmed and Mushfik Hasan took two wickets each as Mohammedan bowled Gazi Group all out for 123 runs in 32.1 overs to finish the tournament with 24 points from 16 matches.

Mohammedan’s Mahidul Islam Ankon finished the league as the top run-scorer after he made 647 runs from 16 innings at an average of 46.21 while their pacer Abu Hider Rony finished as the top wicket-taker with 31 scalps from 16 matches.