Dominant bowling propel Dhaka Metro to NCL final

A resilient half-century from skipper Naim Sheikh, coupled with a stellar all-round bowling performance, guided Dhaka Metro to a comprehensive 38-run victory over Khulna Division in the second qualifier of the NCL T20 at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Dhaka Metro will face Rangpur in the final of the inaugural edition of this domestic T20 tournament on Tuesday.

Batting first, Dhaka posted a modest total of 119 for eight in their allotted 20 overs, thanks largely to Naim Sheikh's 57 off 53 deliveries. Opening alongside Imranuzzaman, Naim, the competition's highest run-scorer with 316 runs from nine innings, anchored the innings amidst a cascade of wickets. His knock, featuring six fours and a six, ended in the 18th over, when he was dismissed by Mustafizur Rahman. Despite his efforts, support from his teammates was minimal, with only Imranuzzaman (14) and Shohidul Islam (16) reaching double figures.

For Khulna, Mustafizur Rahman marked his return to action after a month-long break but proved costly, conceding 35 runs for the solitary wicket of Naim. Masum Khan Tutul and Sheikh Parvez Jibone each picked up two wickets to restrict Dhaka to their modest total.

However, the 119-run target proved insurmountable for Khulna, who crumbled to 81 all out in just 17.4 overs. Their top order capitulated, losing three wickets for only two runs within the first two overs. Captain Nurul Hasan Sohan contributed a fighting 22 but found little support as Khulna's batting faltered.

For Dhaka, Mosaddek Hossain led the bowling attack with three wickets, while Rakibul Hasan and Maruf Mridha chipped in with two apiece to complete a dominant performance.