Khulna Division became champions of the National Cricket League (NCL) for a record seventh time when they defeated Dhaka Division by nine wickets on the fourth day of the sixth and final round at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna yesterday, agencies report. The hosts finished unbeaten in the league, winning three of six games while drawn the rest, and accumulated 39.81 points to finish on top of Tier 1.
Dhaka, who trailed by 100 runs in their second innings, were bundled out for 216 after resuming the day on 102 for five. Raqibul Hasan was the top scorer for Dhaka with a 227-ball 99-run knock. Following the exchange, Khulna romped to victory in just 25.4 overs in chase of 117 for the loss of a solitary wicket. Opener Anamul Haque remained unbeaten for a 76-ball 79.
Nurul said that the task for his team was not easy as they missed the likes of experienced left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak in the final round and had to deal with a few injuries in the middle of the game. However, he mentioned that the competitiveness in the tournament had increased. He also said that the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s initiative of increasing the minimum fitness requirements at the start of this year’s tournament had made the players more aware. He also mentioned that the availability of true wickets across the country also helped increasing the competitiveness of the tournament.
Meanwhile, in Rajshahi, a 155-run thumping at the hands of Rangpur Division saw Rajshahi Division relegated to Tier 2 after finishing at the bottom of the Tier-1 table with 18.65 points. In chase of a 249-run target, Rajshahi were bundled out for a meagre 93 runs. In Barishal, the match between Dhaka Metropolis and Barishal Division ended in a draw, which meant that the former finished in second spot in Tier 2 while the latter remained in third place. Sylhet had already confirmed their promotion to Tier 1.
