Abahani demolish arch-rival Mohammedan in Dhaka derby

Defending Champion Abahani Limited produced an all-round performance to script a dominating 60-run victory over Dhaka Mohammedan Sporting Club in a one-sided Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier League (DPL) T20 clash on Sunday. 

Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim’s breezy half-century, followed by a clinical bowling display helped Abahani picked up their first win of the super league in fashion at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur under floodlights.

Mohammedan absolutely felt the absence of their key bowler Taskin Ahmed and skipper Shakib Al Hasan as the traditional outfit looked so helpless against a formidable Abahani.  

Batting first, Abahani scored a record-breaking 193-7 in 20 overs with Munim Shahriar and Mushfiqur Rahim’s powerful hitting. In reply, pacer Saifuddin and spinner Mosaddek claimed two wickets each to limit Mohammedan to 133 for 7 in 20 overs. 

Mohammedan could not recover from a top-order collapse during the run chase and kept on losing wickets at regular intervals to slump to their humiliating defeat in their first match of the super league. 

Mahmudul Hasan (41) and Abu Hider (53) chipped in with a 78-run stand but could only delay the inevitable.

Earlier, Abahani were sent into bat and posted a commanding 193-7 in 20 overs, thanks largely to a half-century of skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (57*) and opener Munim Shahriar’s 27-ball 43.

With the star-studded Abahani batting line-up, Mohammedan bowling looked more erratic than before and runs were coming thick and fast. There were huge partnerships from the Abahani middle order, with pugnacious Munim Shahriar leading the way for the umpteenth time.

Abahani lost their opener, Liton Das, in the fourth over but Munim Shahriar and Najmul Hossain Shanto turned the innings into a satisfying position at one stage reaching 67-1 after seven overs, and when they reached 100 runs from 74 deliveries with losing opener Munim Shahriar and Shanto, a hefty total loomed. 

The player of the match Mushfiq was his sparkling self, pulverising his fifty from just 32 deliveries in a knock that included eight boundaries and a six.

Mohammedan main bowlers were brutally hammered but less-known pacer Ruyel Miah impressed with the ball bagging three wickets for 19 runs in four overs.