An exuberant Abahani to face much weaker MSC
Dhaka cricket derby today
Sports Reporter
The passion was not palpable like the past when the whole nation was used to become divided on the eve of the match between two archrivals Abahani Limited and Mohammedan Sporting Club but still the match in the group phase of the Dhaka Premier League generated huge interest.
The Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium will host the match between the two sides today with Mohammedan trying to reduce the gap in the point table should they want to stay strongly in the premiership title race.
Four points separated the two sides as Abahani stay at the top of the tree with five straight wins in as many matches. Mohammedan have three wins which keeps them in the fourth place in terms of the net-run-rate.
If Mohammedans win the match, the league, no doubt, would be wide open while Abahanis victory would keep them in such a distance which something for other teams would be hard to overcome.
Abahani have been in superb form which reflected on the point table. They remain unbeatable so far with their batsmen and bowlers equally firing consistently. They have an inspiring captain like Mashrafe Bin Mortaza who himself has been in the form of his life. In the last match, Mashrafe claimed five for just 29, establishing him further as the best seamer of the country amid the rise of some good pace bowlers of late.
The likes of Anamul Haque Bijoy, Mosaddek Hossain Saikat have been playing match defining knock in almost every match. Bijoy indeed remains the highest run-getter in the league as of now, scoring 333 runs in just five matches. Mashrafes 12 wickets in five matches is in the third of the bowling chart, which is led by Legend of Rupganjs left-arm spinner Mosharraf Hossain Rubel. Amongst the pacer, however Mashrafes tally is the highest till now along with Mohammedans young fast bowler Qazi Anik.
Mohammedan misfired in the first two matches when they lost to Brothers Union and Legend of Rupganj. But they regrouped nicely, having won three matches in a row to get them at the level of Shinepukur Cricket Club and Legends of Rupganj in terms of acquiring six points, only to be edged by net-run-rate. Should they make it fourth straight win when they play against Abahani, it would be comeback like fairytale.
One of the main reasons of Mohammedans resurgence was the form of Roqibul Hassan and Shamsur Rahman who proved them to be mainstay of the side after the losses in the first two matches. Young fast bowler Qazi Anik is now considered as the faster than any other pacer bowlers in the country and if he could maintain his line and length it would be difficult for the batsmen to deal with his raw pace.
Aniks pace could be difference in the Mirpur surface which tends to assist the fast bowlers. However Abahani have the experience on their side.
Though the excitement of the match between two archrivals now is nowhere in the scene, both of the team management said they would try to make the contest more thrilling, brining up the fans and supporters at the ground.
