The opening day of the fourth round of the National Cricket League was significantly impacted by adverse weather conditions, as rain forced the cancellation of the toss in one of the scheduled fixtures. Despite the interruptions elsewhere, individual brilliance defined the action in the remaining encounters, with Mymensingh’s Mahfijul Islam and Dhaka’s Naim Sheikh both reaching three-figure scores to anchor their teams.
Dominant Displays by Naim and Mahfijul
Naim Sheikh continued his exceptional run of form in the National Cricket League by securing his third consecutive century. Competing at the Rajshahi Divisional Stadium, Dhaka initially faced a challenging start after winning the toss and electing to bat, slipping to 88 for three. Naim, however, anchored the innings with a masterful performance, reaching his fifty in 88 balls, his century in 143 deliveries, and eventually crossing the 150-run mark off 216 balls. By the end of play, the left-hander remained unbeaten on 171, his seventh first-class century. He was well-supported by captain Mahidul Islam Ankon, who finished the day not out on 84, taking Dhaka to a stumps score of 293 for three.
Meanwhile, at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogura, Mymensingh’s Mahfijul Islam maintained his prolific scoring streak. After previous contributions in the league, Mahfijul struck an unbeaten 156 against Chattogram, marking his third century of the current tournament and his fourth in first-class cricket. His innings propelled Mymensingh to 299 for four at the close of play. For Chattogram, Hasan Murad proved to be the standout bowler, claiming three wickets.
Rangpur’s Collective Effort Against Barishal
- At the Sylhet Academy Ground, Rangpur demonstrated solid consistency against Barishal, concluding the first day at 320 for five without relying on a single centurion.
- Mim Mosaddek provided a sturdy foundation with a score of 77, while Iqbal Hossain contributed 48 runs before being dismissed.
- Abdullah Al Mamun, who ended the day on 61, and Alauddin Babu, unbeaten on 46, are set to resume the innings on the second day.
- The balance shown by the Rangpur middle order ensured the team maintained a strong position throughout the day’s play despite missing an individual milestone.
