GH Vihar (L) made his Dhaka Premier League debut with a fine 109 for Abahani at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday, a day when his compatriot Unmukt Chand (bottom R) hammered a more impressive 127 for Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club at the BKSP in Savar, while experienced Bangladesh all-rounder Forhad Reza struck a stunning unbeaten 68 for Prime Doleshwar at Fatullah. Photos: Star

The Dhaka Premier League has over the years seen Pakistani players dominating the number of foreign recruits. The Sri Lankans also turned up in numbers in the 50-over competition but the Indian players were few and far between in the competition. However, this year the league offered more Indian cricketers and understandably they are not top players.

Still, those less glamorous Indian cricketers are dominating the Dhaka League. For instance, in yesterday's opening Super League games as many as four Indian players made healthy contributions with the bat, including two stupendous centuries, at different venues.

Making his first Dhaka League appearance, Gade Hanuman Vihari hit a fabulous 109 to guide leaders Abahani to a 73-run win against holders Gazi Group at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. The 24-year-old right-hand batsman from Andhra Pradesh lifted Abahani from a precarious 4 for 91 to a commanding 276 for 8 with 10 fours and a six in his 124-ball knock. He shared a vital 138 runs for the fifth wicket with Mohammad Mithun, who hit an unbeaten 72 off 61 balls. The other highlight of Abahani's innings was a six-ball 23 by Mosaddek Hossain in the final over, when he smashed the last three deliveries from Naeem Hasan for consecutive sixes after hitting the second ball for a boundary.

Gazi, in their chase, were bundled out on 205 in 43 overs. Interestingly, another Indian batsman – Anustup Majumdar hit a team high 64 for Gazi. 

Away at the BKSP in Savar, Unmukt Chand struck a superb century to guide Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club to a comprehensive seven-wicket win against Legends of Rupganj.

Winning the toss and electing to bat, Rupganj posted 260 for nine in their share of 50 overs with captain Naeem Islam hitting 51 and their Indian recruit Parvez Rasool notching 44. Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim scored a 32-ball 39. However, they failed to prosper in the death overs, scoring 34 runs off the last 36 deliveries while losing four wickets. Robiul Hoque picked up five wickets for 33 runs for Sheikh Jamal.

Opening the innings for Sheikh Jamal, Unmukt, the 26-year-old Delhi right-hander, smashed 127 off 133 balls to take his side close to victory as he hammered 20 boundaries. Leg-spinning all-rounder Tanbir Hayder also hit an unbeaten 66 off 52 balls that contained four boundaries and three sixes as Sheikh Jamal reached 262 for three in 48 overs.

At the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah two Indian batsmen hit half centuries, the league's leading run-getter Ashok Menaria, struck 54 along with left-hander Amit Majumdar's 50 as Khelaghar Shamaj Kalyan Shamity posted a fighting 258 for eight against Prime Doleshwar.

However, this was the game where the power of a Bangladesh batsman overshadowed the Indian efforts and pulled off a thrilling three-wicket win for Prime Doleshwar, thanks to a stunning unbeaten 68 off 37 balls from Forhad Reza.

The experienced medium pacer, who has a first-class century under his belt, turned the game on its head after Doleshwar looked dead and buried at 172 for 7 by the end of the 40th over. His blistering innings contained a mind-boggling seven sixes and two boundaries. He got able support from Shahanur Rahman (19 not out) at the other end as they clobbered 86 runs in the last ten overs. Reza also captured two wickets for 56 runs.

SCORES IN BRIEF 

ABAHANI v GAZI GROUP

ABAHANI: 278 for 6 in 50 overs (Hanuma Vihari 109, Mithun 72 not out; Hayder 2-45, Mahedi 2-49)

GAZI : 205 all out in 43 overs (Anustup Majumdar 64, Mominul 46; Sunzamul 4-50, Mehedi 2-28, Mashrafe 2-30)

Result: Abahani won by 73 runs

RUPGANJ v SHEIKH JAMAL

RUPGANJ: 260 for 9 in 50 overs (Naeem Islam 51, Tushar Imran 48 not out Rasool 44; Robiul 5-33, Tanbir 2-48)

SHEIKH JAMAL: 262 for 3 in 48 overs (Unmukt Chand 127, Tanbir 66 not out, Rakin 52; Rasel 2-53)

Result: Sheikh Jamal won by 7 wickets 

KHELGHAR v PRIME DOLESHWAR

KHELAGHAR: 258 for 8 in 50 overs (Robiul 62, Menaria 54, Amit 50; Arafat 5-45, Farhad 2-56)

PRIME DOLESHWAR: 259 for 7 in 48.1 overs (Farhad 68 not out, Iqbal 35; Saddam 3-40, Hasan 2-57)

Result: Prime Doelshwar won by 3 wickets