The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Khulna DSA advanced to the final of the 29th National (Inter-District) Cricket Championship eliminating Barisal DSA by seven runs in a keenly contested first semifinal at the Shams-ul-Huda Stadium in Jessore on Monday.

Khulna will play the final on Thursday (Dec 4) against the winners of Rangpur and Dinajpur DSAs, who meet in the 2nd semifinal today (Tuesday) at the same venue.

In the day's semis, coin-favoured Barisal invited Khulna to bat first and dismissed them for 177 in 40.4 overs.

Delwar Hossain contributed highest 47 runs off 81 balls with seven fours, while Ali Imran (29), Shamsul Alam (26), Riazul Islam (14), Ashrafunnabi (12) and Golam Mabud (12) were the other major contributors for Khulna. Another useful 24 runs came from extras.

Maidul Alam, Zayedi Hasan, Manik and Tariqul Islam claimed two wickets each for 14, 29, 29, and 34 runs respectively.

Chasing a moderate target, Barisal made a good start scoring 90 runs in the opening stand in 20.5 overs, but they were miserably all out for 170 in 49.2 overs.

Opener Fazle Rabbi hammered 80 runs off 95 balls with six fours and six sixes to be adjudged man of the match, although his team lost the match.

Apart from Rabbi, another opener Bikash Sharma scored 23 runs, lower order Zayedi Hasan made 16 and Manik 10 for Barisal, while another 13 runs came from extras.

Mosaddek Iftekhar claimed three wickets for nine runs while Kazi Shamim grabbed two wickets for 36 runs.