Mashrafe Mortaza's four wickets off four balls in the last over made for was a sensational finish as he powered Abahani Limited to an 11-run win over Agrani Bank in the Dhaka Premier League.
At the Fatullah Cricket Stadium, Agrani Bank needed 13 runs off the last over with four wickets in hand, but after Abdur Razzak took a single off the first ball, Dhiman Ghosh holed out to long-on after making a 27-ball 46. In the next two balls, Mashrafe had Razzak caught at short fine-leg and Shafiul Islam at deep midwicket to complete his first hat-trick in a List-A match. . To top off the celebration, Fazle Rabby's top edge was comfortably caught by wicket-keeper Mohammad Mithun as Mashrafe became the first Bangladeshi bowler to take four wickets in four balls in List-A cricket, finishing with 6 for 44 in 9.5 overs. He became the seventh bowler in List-A history to achieve the feat, while this was the third hat-trick in this season's Dhaka Premier League.
Mashrafe's performance completely upended the other performers in this match. Up until that last over Agrani Bank had reached within 12 runs of Abahani's 290 for 6, thanks mainly to Shahriar Nafees' 121 off 119 balls with 13 fours and three sixes. Nafees added 146 runs for the third wicket with Raza Ali Dar, who contributed with 62 off 80 balls.
But the pair fell within 16 balls of each other, but Dhiman was holding firm until Mashrafe struck four times.
Earlier, Nazmul Hossain Shanto took Abahani to the big score with his unbeaten 133. He struck 11 fours and three sixes as Shanto added 140 runs for the fifth wicket with Mohammad Mithun.
There was drama at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, too, where Gazi Group Cricketers beat Mohammedan Sporting Club by 29 runs in a low-scoring contest.
The defending champions' struggle in this year's competition continued having been bowled out for 137 in 35.4 overs, batting first. But Kamrul Islam Rabbi and Nayeem Hasan led a fine bowling effort; they took three wickets each while Mahedi Hasan and Tipu Sultan took two each as Mohammedan were bowled out for 108 runs in 33.2 overs.
Sultan took the first two wickets before the lunch break. Raqibul Hasan and Shamsur Rahman, whose 22 and 19 respectively were Mohammedan's highest scores, both fell to Nayeem. Bipul Sharma, Mohammedan's foreign recruit, lasted 35 minutes at the crease before getting caught behind off Rabbi for four
Shafiul Hayet's brilliant one-handed reflex catch at silly mid-off to remove Qazi Onek was one of the highlights of Gazi Group's performance. Rabbi finished the game getting Mohammad Azim's wicket, to hand them only their third win this year, though they remain in the relegation zone.
The dramatic day was rounded off at the BKSP-3 Gound where Prime Bank Cricket Club plundered 16 runs off the last over to beat Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club by one wicket with only two balls to spare.
Mamun Hossain dismissed Monir Hossain off the first ball of the 50th over, before Sajjadul Haque struck a six. But he fell next ball, having made 51 off 38 balls. No 10 Shoriful Haque took two runs off the next ball before depositing Mamun's next delivery, a no-ball, for a six. He bowled another no-ball to concede the game.
Prime Bank were kept on track of their 287-run chase by Mehrab Hossain jnr and Mehedi Maruf who added 147 runs for the opening stand. Mehedi made 82 off 90 balls with six fours and three sixes but Mehrab stuck around after Prime Bank suffered a batting collapse in their middle-order. He fell in the 44th over, having made 102 off 125 balls with 13 fours. Sajjadul had kept them afloat with his three sixes and one four, before Mamun's meltdown.
Earlier, Marshall Ayub's 135 took Doleshwar to 286-5 in 50 overs. Marshall struck 14 fours and two sixes; he added 124 runs for the third wicket with Fazle Mahmud, and another 132 runs for the fourth wicket with Farhad Hossain, who chipped in with a 53-ball 67 that had two fours and three sixes.