Khulna, Rajshahi secure tight wins in NCL

Chattogram's Hasan Murad had already had a four-for before Day Four began and had scalped three wickets in four deliveries on the previous day before stumps at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in the NCL's tier 2 game.

He would bag two more to put Khulna Division under the cosh but Afif Hossain turned saviour, guiding Khulna through the tricky 31 runs that were needed on Day Four in a one-wicket win.

Having started the day at 102 for six, Khulna scored 15 runs in the 35th over of the innings bowled by Murad, with Ziaur Rahman hitting a six before Afif managed a reverse-sweep through third-man for four. The left-handed batter got lucky when the next delivery went for four byes after he had failed to connect another reverse-sweep. Enamul Hoque Ashiq would rattle Ziaur's stumps next over with an in-dipper.

Afif relied on the No. 8 Aridul Akash, who contented with 24 deliveries for five. Murad then struck again twice in the 41st over. Afif managed a streaky single off Nayeem Hasan to tie the score and took the strike in the 42nd over before sweeping the first delivery off Murad in the next over for four. The win helped Khulna to the top spot in Tier 2 with two wins in two matches. Murad finished with six for 17.

At Mirpur's Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Rangpur secured a 65-run win over Dhaka Metro in a Tier 1 game as a Mohammad Naim ton was not enough to chase down the target of 410 in the fourth innings. Naim carried on from overnight score of 96 to hit 120 off 124 deliveries before falling to Abdul Gaffar Saqlain, who bagged three as Dhaka Metro were wrapped up for 345.

In the Tier 2 game at Rajshahi's Shaheed AHM Kamruzzaman Stadium, Barishal Division's Iftikhar Hossain held his side's hopes against Rajshahi Division but once he fell to Sunzamul Islam for 60, the innings stuttered and they eventually fell short by nine runs. Rajshahi skipper Taijul Islam, who bagged a four-for, was the player of the match.

Dhaka Division, courtesy of their seven-wicket win on Saturday, are top of Tier 1 after the second round.