Cricket

Sylhet Division maintained their dominance in the National Cricket League (NCL) with a resounding innings and 139-run victory over Dhaka Metropolis. The triumph marked Sylhet's fourth innings victory in first-class cricket and their third this season.Dhaka Metropolis's batting woes began in the first innings, as they were dismissed for a paltry 130 runs. Nasum Ahmed, fresh from his exploits in the ODI series against Afghanistan, led the bowling attack with four wickets. Rejaur Rahman Raja and Khaled Ahmed chipped in with three wickets each.Amite Hasan's century proved pivotal for Sylhet, as he guided them to a commanding 376 runs. Hasan's patient knock of 101, which included 13 boundaries, spanned four-and-a-half hours.Dhaka's second innings proved no better, as they were bundled out for 107 runs in just 33.4 overs. Khaled Ahmed was the wrecker-in-chief, claiming five wickets, while Raja picked up three.Meanwhile, Dhaka Division secured their first win of the season, defeating Khulna Division by nine wickets at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. The match marked the farewell red-ball appearance of Imrul Kayes, who recently announced his retirement from Tests and first-class cricket.Khulna failed to provide Kayes with a fitting send-off, as they were bowled out for 172 on the opening day. Fast bowler Sumon Khan starred with six wickets, while Salauddin Sakil took two.Dhaka fell 12 runs short of Khulna's total, getting bowled out for 160. Al-Amin Hossain, Masum Khan, and Aridul Islam Akash shared nine wickets among them.Khulna's second innings collapse saw them dismissed for a mere 91 runs, their lowest NCL total against Dhaka. Anamul Haque claimed four wickets, while Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby and Sumon took three each. Rony Talukdar and Ariful Islam guided Dhaka to a comfortable victory, chasing down the target of 104 runs in just 17.2 overs.Chattogram Division continued their winning streak, defeating Rajshahi Division by nine wickets. Fahad Hossian and Ahmed Sharif starred with the ball, as Rajshahi's struggles continued.Rajshahi were bowled out for 112 runs in their first innings, with Hossian taking five wickets and Ashraful Hasan and Ifran Hossain claiming two each.Chattogram responded with 252 runs, led by Shamim Hossain's unbeaten 84. Wasi Siddiquee and Sabbir Hossain took three wickets apiece for Rajshahi.Sabbir's half-century in the second innings helped Rajshahi improve their score, but they were eventually dismissed for 220. Sharif claimed five wickets, while Nayeem Hasan took three. Sadikur Rahman and Sajjadul Haque guided Chattogram to victory, reaching 83 runs on the third day.

Rangpur Division and Dhaka Metropolis emerged victorious in the opening round of the National Cricket League (NCL), while defending champions Dhaka Division and Rajshahi Division settled for draws.Rangpur Division vs. Chattogram DivisionRangpur Division dominated Chattogram Division, winning by an innings and 81 runs. Khalid Hasan and Mim Mosaddeak scored half-centuries as Rangpur declared on 273/9. Fahad Hossian claimed four wickets for Chattogram.Chattogram's batting faltered, with Rishad Hossain taking two wickets in each innings. Abdullah Al Mamun's 3/10 and Mukidul Islam's 2/15 helped Rangpur bowl out Chattogram for 103 and 89, respectively. Chowdhury Md Rizwan was named player-of-the-match.Dhaka Metropolis vs. Barishal DivisionDhaka Metropolis defeated Barishal Division by eight wickets. Marshall Ayub and Aich Mollah scored centuries as Dhaka declared on 408/5. Ayub became the first batter in Bangladesh's domestic cricket history to be dismissed obstructing the field.Barishal were bowled out for 219 and 251, with Ashraful Islam taking eight wickets. Dhaka Metropolis chased down their target of 63 runs in 15.4 overs, with Ashraful named player-of-the-match.Dhaka Division vs. Sylhet DivisionDefending champions Dhaka Division drew with Sylhet Division. Anamul Haque and Nazmul Islam took three wickets each as Sylhet were bowled out for 146. Mahidul Islam Ankon scored a century for Dhaka, who were dismissed for 224.Sylhet finished on 257/8 in their second innings, with Nazmul taking four wickets.Rajshahi Division vs. Khulna DivisionRajshahi Division and Khulna Division also drew. Tanzid Hasan scored a century as Rajshahi posted 426. Al-Amin Hossain and SM Meherob took five and six wickets, respectively, as Khulna were bowled out for 194.Sabbir Hossain's 150 helped Rajshahi declare on 311/7. Khulna batted for almost a day and a half, making 311/7 with Amit Majumder and Soumya Sarkar scoring eighties.

In a thrilling encounter at the National Cricket League Sixty Strikes tournament, Chicago CC emerged victorious over Atlanta Kings by a commanding 43-run margin. Chicago's explosive batting display set the tone for the match, with skipper Robin Uthappa leading the charge with a blistering 15-ball 35. Leonardo Julien and Mikyle Louis followed suit, contributing 61 off 22 and 43 off 17 respectively, propelling Chicago to a formidable total of 160/4 in 10 overs.Atlanta's chase got off to a shaky start, with the team struggling to keep up with the required run rate. Despite valiant efforts from James Neesham (29 off 16) and Tom Bruce (61 off 21), Atlanta fell short of the target, finishing on 117/8.Chicago's bowlers played a crucial role in the victory, with Sohail Tanvir emerging as the standout performer. Tanvir's economical spell of 2/13 in 2 overs stifled Atlanta's batting lineup. Leonardo Julien, who had earlier impressed with the bat, also chipped in with a wicket.Atlanta's bowlers, led by Ben Russell's 3/28, failed to provide adequate support, allowing Chicago's batters to dominate the crease. Danish Aziz, in particular, endured a torrid time, conceding 53 runs in just 2 overs.Chicago's victory was a testament to their aggressive batting approach and disciplined bowling performance. Leonardo Julien's all-round brilliance earned him the Player of the Match award.

The National Cricket League Sixty Strikes tournament witnessed a thrilling display of batting prowess in Qualifier 2 on Sunday, as Atlanta Kings emerged victorious over Los Angeles Waves. The match was a battle for a spot in the final, and Los Angeles fell short, posting a modest total of 96/3 while batting first.Despite promising starts from their openers, LA batters failed to propel the team past the 100-run mark. Stevie Eskinazi struggled to find his rhythm, scoring 23 runs off 21 balls, while Rishi Ramesh was dismissed for a mere 1 run off 5 balls. Raymon Reifer's 16 runs off 8 balls failed to ignite a substantial partnership.However, Joe Burns' 21-ball 38 and Waqas Saleem's 5-ball 5 helped LA salvage some respectability, finishing their innings on 96/3 in 10 overs. Imran Tahir, Danish Aziz, and Ben Russell each claimed a wicket for Atlanta Kings.Chasing the target, Atlanta Kings faced a series of setbacks, losing wickets at regular intervals. None of their batters managed to cross the 20-run mark individually, leaving the team in a precarious position. However, Tom Bruce emerged as the game-changer, smashing four consecutive sixes to turn the tide in Atlanta's favor.Bruce's 4-ball 24 propelled Atlanta to a crucial victory, securing their place in the final of the National Cricket League Sixty Strikes. They will now face Chicago in the championship match, who advanced to the final after winning Qualifier 1.

In a thrilling Qualifier 1 encounter of the National Cricket League, Chicago CC emerged victorious over Los Angeles Waves (LAW) by 15 runs, securing their place in the tournament final.Chasing a challenging target of 168, LAW's batting lineup faltered, with Karthik Gattepalli's impressive bowling figures of 3/30 proving too much to overcome. The Waves slumped to 152/6 in 10 overs, falling short of the required total.Chicago's innings was ignited by a blistering knock from Chris Lynn, who smashed a quickfire 69 off just 28 deliveries. Lynn's innings, which included seven fours and six sixes, set the tone for Chicago's aggressive approach.Robin Uthappa, Chicago's captain, provided a brisk start with a 31-run cameo off 11 balls. Leonardo Julien joined Lynn in a 97-run partnership for the second wicket, contributing 33 off 14 balls.Despite the dismissals of Lynn and Julien, Sohail Tanvir's unbeaten 17 off 4 balls propelled Chicago's total to 167/6. Rishi Rames claimed two wickets for LAW, while Tim David and Tymal Mills also chipped in with a scalp each.In response, LAW's chase got off to a shaky start, losing Tim David on the first ball. Joe Burns and Stephen Eskinazi failed to make significant contributions, leaving LAW struggling at 40/3 within the first three overs.Waqas Saleem and Ramesh attempted to revive LAW's innings with a 63-run partnership for the fourth wicket. However, their dismissals in quick succession left LAW in a precarious position.Rumman Raees and Todd Astle provided some late resistance with unbeaten cameos of 26 and 19, respectively. But Gattepalli's three wickets, along with two from Simon Harmer and one from Tanvir, proved decisive as LAW fell short by 15 runs.With this victory, Chicago CC has secured a berth in the final. LAW, on the other hand, will have to navigate Qualifier 2 to earn a rematch with Chicago in the summit clash.

Texas Gladiators Dominate Atlanta Kings in National Cricket LeagueIn a resounding victory, Texas Gladiators crushed Atlanta Kings by 8 wickets in the National Cricket League on Saturday. The triumph was orchestrated by a stellar bowling performance and an explosive batting display.Atlanta Kings' batting lineup faltered under the relentless pressure of Texas Gladiators' bowlers. Wahab Riaz, Nisarg Patel, and Jason Behrendorff each claimed two wickets, while Ashmead Nedd, Usman Rafiq, James Fuller, and Shahid Afridi chipped in with one apiece. James Neesham emerged as the lone bright spot for Atlanta Kings, scoring 12 runs.The Kings' innings crumbled to a mere 61 runs in just 8.4 overs, leaving Texas Gladiators with a modest target to chase. Dawid Malan, the English batsman, once again showcased his exceptional talent, smashing 29 runs off 19 deliveries. His knock, which included four boundaries and a six, propelled Texas Gladiators towards victory.Nick Kelly provided valuable support, remaining unbeaten on 16 runs off 16 deliveries. Texas Gladiators reached the target in 8.3 overs, losing only two wickets. Angelo Mathews and Imran Tahir claimed one wicket each for Atlanta Kings.The victory solidifies Texas Gladiators' position as a formidable force in the National Cricket League. Their bowlers have consistently delivered impressive performances, while their batsmen have shown the ability to chase down challenging targets. Atlanta Kings, on the other hand, will need to regroup and address their batting woes if they hope to compete for the championship.

The proliferation of cricket leagues worldwide has witnessed a surge in franchise-based models and experimentation with various formats. While T20 leagues have been prevalent, T10 leagues have gained traction, with the United States emerging as a hub for investors and organizers.The United States, despite its nascent cricket ecosystem, has hosted two successful seasons of Major League Cricket (MLC) and a T20 World Cup. This has attracted interest from other leagues, including the American Premier League (APL) and the National Cricket League (NCL).Both APL and NCL have received ICC sanctions and feature international cricketers. However, concerns have been raised regarding player regulations and on-field standards. The NCL's T10 league, in particular, lacks clarity on its financial model and includes both former and active international players.The ICC's outgoing Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) head, Alex Marshall, has warned against "badly-run" franchise leagues, emphasizing the need for vigilance in "lower-level" ones. He highlighted the threat of corruption and the need to address vulnerabilities in the system.Before leagues can participate in international cricket, they must obtain ICC sanction. The ICC has established minimum requirements for leagues, including a comprehensive document outlining potential risks, particularly for T20 leagues.The ICC's cricket operations, legal, and anti-corruption wings play an active role in the sanctioning process, with Committee Secretary Clive Hitchcock overseeing the eligibility criteria and other requirements.As cricket expands into new markets, the ICC must remain vigilant and ensure stricter checks and balances in leagues like APL and NCL to safeguard the integrity of the game.

In a thrilling encounter of the National Cricket League Sixty Strikes, Los Angeles Waves emerged victorious over Atlanta Kings in a high-scoring affair. Batting first, Atlanta Kings set a formidable target of 145 runs for the loss of just three wickets in their allotted 10 overs.Atlanta's skipper, Angelo Mathews, was the star of the show, smashing an impressive 85 runs off a mere 33 deliveries. His blistering knock, which included 10 boundaries and 4 sixes, nearly propelled him to a century in the fast-paced format. However, he was eventually dismissed by Majjid Zubair.Gajanand Singh (28 off 14) and James Neesham (8 off 3) provided valuable contributions to Atlanta's total. Los Angeles Waves bowlers Shakib Al Hasan, Rishi Ramesh, and Majjid Zubair each claimed a wicket.Chasing the target, Los Angeles Waves maintained a steady pace, staying ahead of the required run rate. Wicket-keeper batter George Munsey got the innings off to a flying start with a quickfire 33 off 11 balls before being dismissed by Gajanand Singh.Adam Rossington and Tim David then combined for an unbeaten partnership of 95 runs, guiding Los Angeles Waves to victory in just 8 overs. Rossington played a composed innings, scoring 52 off 18 balls, while David unleashed his power, smashing 58 runs off 19 deliveries.Both Atlanta Kings and Los Angeles Waves currently occupy mid-table positions in the six-team tournament. Atlanta sits in third place with one win and one loss from two matches, while Los Angeles Waves is fourth with one win and two losses from their first three games.