Kalabagan KC stay alive

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza's Kalabagan Krira Chakra (KKC) continued their brilliant run in the Dhaka Premier League with a win over bottom-placed Kalabagan Cricket Academy (KCA). The win takes them to 12 points in 11 games, which is brilliant considering that they had a horrendous start to the Dhaka Premier League.

They won five out of their last six games and from nowhere, stand a chance of getting a place in the top six of the competition. They secured a comfortable 29-run victory over Kalabagan Cricket Academy at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

Batting first, Kalabagan CA were bundled out for 128 in 39.2 overs in a rain-reduced game. In reply, Kalabagan KC had reached 91 for four in 23 overs when rain stopped play yesterday. As per the Duckworth-Lewis calculations they needed to have scored 63 runs at that point and therefore ended up winning the game comfortably. The key performers for Kalabagan KC were Abdur Razzak and Mashrafe. While Razzak finished with figures of 3 for 28, Mashrafe recorded miserly figures of 2 for 13.

With the bat, hard-hitter Hasanuzzaman smacked 47 for Mashrafe's side and ensured that they were ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis par score.

As per the current rankings in the table, four teams have already booked their spots in the Super League. The remaining two places will be a battle between Mohammedan, Prime Bank Cricket Club, Kalabagan KC, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and Gazi Group Cricketers.

It will be an intense finish with several calculations expected to come into play. Mohammedan, who have 12 points, will play Sheikh Jamal, who have 10. If Mohammedan win, they will confirm a spot. However, if Sheikh Jamal win then they too will have 12 points and that is when the head-to-head rule will come into play.

Similarly if Gazi Group Cricketers beat Victoria tomorrow, then they too will have 12 points. There is a possibility that five teams may end up with 12 points by the time the first phase of the league ends. And if that happens, then the head-to-head factor will be brought in and the teams with the most number of wins among each other will go through.  

SCORES IN BRIEF 
KALABAGAN CRICKET ACADEMY: 128 all out in 39.2 overs (Nuruzamman 42, Mehedi 22; Razzak 3-28, Mashrafe 2-13)
KALABAGAN KRIRA CHAKRA: 91 for 4 (Hasanuzzaman 47; Abu 2-14, Noor 1-14)
Result: Kalabagan Krira Chakra won by 29 runs courtesy of Duckworth-Lewis.