Swashbuckling knocks from veteran Akram Khan and Moniruzzaman saw Abahani home as the renowned club won by 5 wickets in their match against Young Pegasus held in BNS ground today. Abahani, though lost Nafees Iqbal and Mehrab Hossain and Naimur Rahman early, one downer Moniruzzaman and burly Akram Khan (Man-of-the-match) put up a good rapport between them and amassed 81 runs in the fourth wicket and got rid of all troubles.

Winning the toss Young Pegasus batted first and were bundled out for a mare 173 from 46.4 overs. The only notable scorers Hasanuzzaman and Majid Jafri carried out two knocks. Hasanuzzaman top scored 41 where Majid slammed 40. The Abahani spinners triggered a lot of troubles against the Pegasus batsmen. Left-arm Ahsanullah Hasan mauled with 3 wickets and Naimur Rahman clipped 2.

Nafees Iqbal and Mehrab Hossain, two unsuccessful openers for Abahani this year, went on with their run drought, as they fell cheaply. When ex-national skipper Naimur Rahman returned with a duck, all duties were laid upon Akram Khan and Moniruzzaman to bring the game about. They did it with success, slowly taking advantage of the sloppy deliveries to score off. Thus it took Abahani 46.2 overs to reach the target.

Moniruzzaman made highest 60 and Akram Khan remained till the end with 51 (His third fifty in Premier League). Saifullah Khan Jem was the most successful bowler for Pegasus to remove three Abahani batsmen.

© CricInfo