If everything had gone as planned, he wouldn’t be in Sylhet right now; instead, he would have been in St. Vincent in the Caribbean. Tomorrow, he was supposed to walk out for the toss, leading Bangladesh in their mission to whitewash West Indies in the T20 series.
However, a delayed recovery from a groin injury kept Najmul Hossain from joining the West Indies tour. Instead, the Bangladesh captain has been in Sylhet from the start of the National Cricket League (NCL) T20 tournament, representing Rajshahi Division as part of his comeback journey.
Last Saturday, Najmul announced his return with an impressive 80-run knock against Barishal Division. Although he failed with the bat in the next three matches, today, he scored 78 runs against Sylhet Division. Opening the innings, Najmul crafted his 48-ball knock with 6 fours and 5 sixes.
He wasn’t done yet—Najmul showcased his skills with the ball as well, bowling 4 tight overs for just 19 runs and taking 1 wicket. His all-round brilliance helped Rajshahi end their campaign with a 26-run consolation win, while Sylhet’s hopes of staying in the tournament were dashed with the loss.
At the Sylhet International Stadium, Rajshahi batted first and posted 181/8. Sylhet, chasing the target, saw a glimmer of hope through Zishan Alam’s explosive fifty.
However, after Zishan fell for 60, their batting lineup crumbled. From 126/3 to 142/8, Sylhet lost 5 wickets for just 18 runs, thanks to Asaduzzaman’s fiery spell and Najmul’s miserly bowling.
Brief Scores:
Rajshahi Division: 181/8 in 20 overs (Najmul 78, Sabbir 30, Habibur 25; Khaled 3/24, Ebadot 2/29, Tofayel 2/35).
Sylhet Division: 155/8 in 20 overs (Zishan 60, Pinak 27, Tofayel 18; Asaduzzaman 4/24, Kibria 1/8, Sabbir 1/14, Najmul 1/19).
Result: Rajshahi Division won by 26 runs.
Player of the Match: Najmul Hossain.
Dhaka Metropolis Make it 7 out of 7
In the morning’s other match, Dhaka Metropolis defeated Chattogram Division by 17 runs. With this win, Dhaka finished the league stage undefeated, securing the top spot on the points table and a place in the playoffs under Mohammad Naim’s leadership.
Batting first at the Sylhet Outer Ground, Dhaka posted 158/8, courtesy of fifties from experienced batters Shamsur Rahman and Marshall Ayub. Chattogram, without Tamim Iqbal, fell short in their chase, finishing at 141/9. Despite the loss, Chattogram currently holds third place in the points table.
