With their third defeat in eight matches, defending champions DOHS not only suffered a big blow on their way to a hattrick title but also slipped to third position along side Biman. They also face a tough challenge to bounce back in the title race as they meet a depleted Mohammedan Sporting Club today at Fatullah Cricket Stadium in the ninth round.

Like DOHS, last year's runners-up Sonargaon Cricketers will also try to bounce back from their eight-wicket defeat against Abahani when they take on pointless Brothers Union at BKSP today while the other ninth round match between Victoria and Biman will be held at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium.

The match was rescheduled after being abandoned due to dense fog on Wednesday at the same venue but in the end, the two sides got to play a 25-over a-side game due to the same reason.

Man-of-the-match Forhad, who has been sidelined from the national team to make way for Mohammad Sharif for the four-match one-day series in Zimbabwe, returned with figures of 4-24 as Biman defended their 154-7 by wrapping up their opponents for 150 in exactly 25 overs.

The right-arm medium pacer picked up his first wicket by dismissing former national skipper Khaled Mahmud, who looked dangerous coming at number three after his side lost the first wicket on seven. He then claimed the wickets of Akram Khan (3) and Enamul Haque (2) in the 22nd over to dash the holders' hopes. But three run outs including a senseless one of Nadif Chowdhury (17) also played a big part in favour of Biman.

Mahmud scored a breezy 25-ball 33 with five hits to the fence while opener Muhammed Farrukh topscored with 44 off 61 balls.

DOHS needed seven runs from the final over with the last pair batting but Biman's veteran pace all-rounder Mushfiqur Rahman conceded only three runs to ensure his side's victory.

Earlier, Javed Omar (33 off 39 balls) and Nafis Iqbal (44 off 56 balls) associated in a 76-run stand for the opening wicket to give Biman a platform while wicketkeeper Sajjad Kadir came up with a cameo 13-ball 27 that featured three sixes and a four.