No senior players of the national team sans Mushfiqur Rahim take part in the final round of the National Cricket League as the game will decide the champions and the division who will promote to the Tier-1 level. It was learnt the players like Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah Riyad, Imrul Kayes and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza will play the game, considering the minimum opportunity to play the first class cricket due to the hectic international schedule.
But Tamim and Shakib who returned to the country on Monday from the inaugural T10 tournament in Dubai, chose opt out the sixth round of the NCL along with Mahmudullah Riyad who will take rest. For Mashrafe, the first class cricket is however option since he hasn’t been playing the Test cricket to prolong his career. However apart from those players, all other national players are available to play the round.
Even though it is a double league-based tournament, the sixth and final round really turned out to be final game as three teams are in some chance to clinch the trophy. Obviously Khulna Division are in the advantageous position with the highest 16 points in the five completed round. They are the only team to win a match in five rounds while other three teams are yet to win a game.
Khulna will take on Dhaka Division in the crucial game today at BKSP. Khulna need at least a draw to regain the trophy while Dhaka with 10 points could win the trophy only had they win the match against Khulna. Dhaka didn’t win a single game in the last five rounds but didn’t lose any match as well. They had drawn every match they played.
Rangpur Division will face off Barisal Division in another game of the Tier-1 at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong. Rangpur Division have 10 points while Barisal have eight under their belt. For Barisal, it’s a must-win game, if they want to resist them from being demoted to the Tier-2. Rangpur needs only a draw to be in the Tier-1 game but a win with innings margin or 10-wicket could give them a chance to lift the trophy. However any team between Khulna and Dhaka could win with innings margin or 10-wicket, they would have no chance in case of such big victory.
In Tier-2, the scenario is not such complex. Rajshahi are leading the Tier-2 points table with 23 points, nine points ahead of second placed Sylhet Division. Dhaka Metro and Chittagong Division have eight points each.
Rajshahi would take on Dhaka Metro in the last round at Shaheed Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi while Sylhet will lock horns with Chittagong Division at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
Sylhet could give them a shot to promote to the Tier-1 if they could win with an innings margin or 10-wicket victory. In that case, Rajshahi would have to loss their match against Dhaka Metro. But the points will be same and the net-run-rate would decide the team who would qualify to the Tier-1.