Afif-Mushfiq steer Najmul XI past 250

A monumental partnership between Afif Hossain and Mushfiqur Rahim and late flourish from Irfan Sukkur propelled the Najmul XI to 264 for eight, the highest score of the tournament so far.

Winning the toss, Mahmudullah Riyad put the Najmul XI to bat. Najmul XI won convincingly when the two teams met each other in the first match of the tournament.
 

Early burst

The top order of the Najmul XI continues to fail as they lost three wickets inside the power play again. Mahmudullah XI fast bowler Rubel Hossain started from where he left off in the previous match. Soumya Sarkar started off in a promising fashion hitting a couple of boundaries but was soon cleaned up by Rubel. The right arm fast bowler also accounted for the dismissal of the skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto as Rubel knocked him over for 3. 

Parvez Hossain Emon, one of the members of the World Cup winning under-19 side, got a brilliant start and played a few beautiful strokes. But Sumon Khan trapped him leg before immediately after he came into the attack. Emon hit four boundaries. He was dismissed in the ninth over, leaving Najmul XI in trouble at 31 for three.

Monumental partnership between Afif and Mushfiqur 

Mushfiqur Rahim, who came into the match on the back of a superb 103, started off pretty cautiously. Sumon Khan almost got him out when Mushfiq tried to cut and edged the ball to first slip, but Mehidy Hasan Miraz grassed the opportunity. On the other hand, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, who came in at number five, started positively and looked for boundaries besides taking singles and doubles.

Mushfiqur struggled with timing initially but soon started to find his feet. He played second fiddle to Afif Hossain in the partnership where the latter played the aggressor. 

Mushfiqur pushed and nudged for singles and doubles while Afif played strokes all around the park. He drove and pulled well and was not afraid of improvising. He went all guns blazing before unfortunately getting run-out on 98 off 107. His stroke-filled knock was studded with 12 boundaries and a six. The southpaw put on 147 off 184 deliveries for the fourth wicket with Mushfiqur.

Right after Afif's dismissal, Mushfiqur notched up his fifty, hitting Ebadot Hossain for a boundary through the covers, which was his only boundary in the innings. The right-handed batsman fell to the same bowler while trying to ramp the ball over the keeper, only edging it to Liton Das for 52.

Late flourish by Irfan Sukkur 

Najmul XI, after excellent rebuilding done by Afif and Mushfiqur, were in a spot of bother again after the latter got out. But Irfan Sukkur and Towhid Hridoy, the pair that got Najmul XI over the line against the same opposition, came to rescue again. Sukkur took the attack to the opposition and scored an unbeaten 48 off only 31 balls with four fours and two sixes. He was ably supported by Towhid Hridoy, who chipped in with 27 off 29. Najmul XI scored 77 off the last ten overs to post a total of 264 for eight.

Rubel Hossain bowled exceedingly well and picked up three conceding 53 runs. Ebadot Hossain picked up a couple while Sumon Khan got one. The spinners- Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Rakibul Hasan went wicketless.