Sylhet clinch maiden NCL title

Sylhet Division clinched their maiden National Cricket League (NCL) title after they beat Barishal Division by five wickets in their sixth-round match at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium today.

Chasing a target of 105 runs on the final day, Sylhet lost three quick wickets for just 27 runs before in-form skipper Amite Hasan and Nasum Ahmed put up 77 runs for the fourth wicket to level the scores.

Nasum made 44 off 52 balls before he and Asadulla Al Galib (0) were removed in the same over but Amite (38 not out) scored the winning run to take his side to their first-ever NCL title with one match to spare.

With this win, Sylhet now have 37 points, 12 more than second-placed Dhaka Division.

According to tournament rules, a team can earn a maximum of nine points from a single fixture – eight points for winning the contest and one extra if the win is either by 10 wickets or by an innings margin.

Earlier on Day 3, pacers Khaled Ahmed (4-18) and Tofael Ahmed (3-17) shared seven wickets between them and had help from left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed, who took two to complete 150 wickets in first-class cricket, to bundle out Barishal for 142.

Earlier, Tofael (64) and Rejaur Rahman Raja (35) shared a 94-run stand for the eighth wicket to help Sylhet post 342 runs in their first innings and take a 38-run lead.

Meanwhile, at the other Sylhet venue, Khulna Division beat Chattogram Division by 58 runs on the final day.

Khulna pacer Al-Amin Hossain starred with the ball as he claimed 5-67 while Mehedi Hasan Rana, who claimed a five-for in the first innings, finished with 3-36 to help their side bowl out Chattogram for 145 after they resumed on 118-7.