Fifties, Collapses and Two Magical Spells: The National League Delivers its Most Dramatic Day Yet

The second day of the fifth round of the National Cricket League turned into a showcase for bowlers, as four venues witnessed a mixture of collapses, comebacks and breakout performances. The brightest stories belonged to Rajshahi’s young pacer Abdur Rahim, who claimed six wickets in only his second match, and Sylhet’s experienced campaigner Abu Jayed, who secured his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket since 2018.

In Rajshahi, Rangpur resumed on 37 without loss but were rattled by Rahim’s pace and discipline. The young right-armer produced a sparkling spell to finish with 6 for 72, dismissing three batters for ducks and repeatedly beating the bat with late movement. Rangpur managed 258, largely due to opener Abdullah Al Mamun’s composed 64. Rajshahi closed the day at 12 without loss, extending their lead to 22.

In Bogura, the day marked a memorable return for Abu Jayed Rahi. Once a dependable Test bowler for Bangladesh, Jayed had been outside the national picture for some time, but today reminded everyone of his skill. His 5 for 37 dismantled Chattogram for just 110. Sylhet then consolidated their advantage through captain Zakir Hasan’s 61 and Amit Hasan’s unbeaten 58, ending the day on 193 for 6 with an imposing overall lead of 338.

Over in Cox’s Bazar, Dhaka added only 27 runs to their overnight score, collapsing from 246 for 7 to 273 all out. Marshall Ayub, who resumed on 118, fell early for 120. Barishal responded strongly, reaching 243 for 5 by stumps. Iftikhar led the way with 78, while young debutant Mohammad Abdullah impressed with a fluent 55. Dhaka pacer Sumon Khan continued his fine form with four wickets.

The Khulna–Mymensingh match offered a more subdued narrative. Khulna extended their overnight score to 387 before being bowled out, with Afif Hossain adding 40. Shuvagata Hom claimed four wickets for Mymensingh. In response, Mymensingh batted solidly to reach 170 for 3, thanks to Mohammad Naim’s 57 and Azijul Haque’s unbeaten 48.