Abahani Limited, the defending champions, were leading the points table in the ongoing Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League after the eighth round and before the Eid break.聽
After losing their opening match to Agrani Bank Cricket Club, Abahani have been on a winning run as they clinched seven straight victories.聽
Almost all of their victories were dominating, and five of those came while chasing. The Najmul Hossain Shanto-led team almost confirmed their spot in the super league鈥攚here the top six teams would emerge.
The national team captain, Shanto, who was struggling with form, has had a moderate season so far as he has been averaging 32 so far, despite hitting a hundred.聽
Parvez Hossain, the left-handed opener, has been Abahani鈥檚 batting mainstay as he smashed two hundreds and two fifties.
Parvez is currently sitting fourth in the chart of the highest run-getters, where Anamul Haque of Gazi Group Cricketers is at the peak.聽
The right-hander, who holds the record for most runs in a single List A competition when he scored 1138 runs in 2022, has so far amassed 530 runs at an average of 88.33. He has hit two hundreds and three fifties so far.聽
Naim Sheikh (491 at 70.14)鈥攚ho smashed 176 against Brothers Union鈥攐f Prime Bank Cricket Club, Imrul Kayes (430 at 53.75) of Agrani Bank and Nurul Hasan (401 at 66.83) complete the list of the top five highest run-getter.聽
In the bowling chart, the spinners, especially the left-arm spinners, have started to dominate as the season progressed.
So far, four of the top five wicket takers of the season have been the left-arm spinners, with Abahani鈥檚 Rakibul Hasan topping the list with 17 wickets at an average of 18.11.
Taijul Islam (16 at 19.50) of Mohammedan Sporting Club, Arafat Sunny (14 at 16.92) of Prime Bank, Asaduzzaman Payel (14 at 23.42)鈥攖he lone pacer in the top five鈥攐f Gulshan Cricket Club, and Abu Hashim (13 at 16.30) of Gazi Group complete the list of top five wicket-takers.聽
The league will resume on April 6. But the teams will face a major setback in a crucial stage of the league as the national camp for the upcoming Zimbabwe series will begin thereafter.聽
The likes of Shanto, Mominul Haque, Nahid Rana, Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan, Liton Das, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, and Hasan Mahmud are expected to leave the Dhaka Premier League to join the Test camp.聽
Mohammedan, who are currently in the number three position with 12 points from their first eight matches, will certainly miss the service of their captain Tamim Iqbal鈥攁s far as the cricket is concerned鈥攚ho survived a major scare when he suffered a massive heart attack during their last match before the Eid break.聽
The former national team captain will have to go through a long rehabilitation process after undergoing heart surgery.聽