Shukkur trumps Musa, Tasamul fifties as Mohammedan win

Irfan Shukkur's thumping fifty helped Mohammedan Limited to a six-wicket win against Partex Sporting Club in the Dhaka Premier Division T20 Cricket League at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium today.

Partex won the toss and elected to bat and when Shakib Al Hasan picked up a wicket with his very first delivery, it looked like Mohammedan were going to control proceedings as the match progressed. However, Abbas Musa, playing his first DPL T20 season, went after the Mohammedan bowling with gusto, hitting Taskin Ahmed for a slashed six over third man region to signal his dominance. Tasamul Haque at the other end slowly started to get in his groove as well and the duo put on a 95-run partnership for the second wicket. Taskin got the wicket of Musa after a 44-ball 64, laced with five fours and five sixes. Tasamul kept the innings going and struck a 56-ball 58 before being run out in the final delivery as Partex posted 157 for 5. Taskin bagged two wickets for 33 runs in four overs while Shakib and Abu Jayed bagged one each.

In reply, Parvez Hossain Emon (17 off 11) started brightly but when Tasamul came into bowl in the fourth over and picked both Parvez and Shakib up with back-to-back deliveries, it spelled early trouble for Mohammedan.

Opener Mahmudul Hasan (38 off 26) and middle-order batsman Shamsur Rahman put together a 44-run stand for the third wicket to keep the score ticking but the duo departed in the space of three deliveries leaving Mohammedan at 78 for four in 9.1 overs.

Irfan Shukkur produced a level-headed display under pressure, picking the singles and the gaps efficiently during a 29-ball 52, laced with five fours and two sixes to propel his side home with six wickets and 14 deliveries to spare. Nadif Chowdhury played his hand too during a 80-run fifth-wicket stand with Irfan, remaining unbeaten on 27 off 23 deliveries. Tasamul was the pick of the bowlers for Partex with three wickets for 18 runs.