The 26th edition of the National Cricket League (NCL) ended with dramatic matches, where Sylhet emerged as champions despite losing their final game against Rajshahi. Meanwhile, Barishal secured their first victory of the season, and Rangpur held off Khulna in a nail-biting draw.

Rajshahi Ends Sylhet's Unbeaten Run with a 54-Run Victory

In a surprising twist, Rajshahi outplayed Sylhet by 54 runs at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. Nihaduzzaman was the star of the match, claiming five wickets in the second innings to seal the win for Rajshahi. His exceptional performance, which included nine wickets across both innings, earned him the Player of the Match award.

Sylhet, who had already secured the title before the final round, failed to chase a modest target of 201, being bowled out for 146 runs. This loss dashed their hopes of finishing the tournament as unbeaten champions.

Amite Hasan played a pivotal role in Sylhet’s victorious campaign, scoring 785 runs in 12 innings with two centuries and five fifties. He was awarded both the Player of the Tournament and the top run-scorer accolade.

In a poignant moment, veteran cricketer Farhad Reza bid farewell to first-class cricket after an illustrious 19-year career, having amassed over 5,900 runs and taken 315 wickets in 144 matches.

Barishal Secures First Win, Defeating Dhaka by 122 Runs

Barishal finally found success in the last round, defeating Dhaka by 122 runs at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogura. Ruyel Miah starred with the ball, taking six wickets in the second innings and eight in the match, earning the Player of the Match title.

Despite a strong start by Dhaka, who declared at 310/9 in their first innings, Barishal's bowling attack dismantled them for just 98 in their chase of 221 runs. Dhaka's Rony Talukdar, who had scored a century in the first innings, managed only 37 in the second.

Barishal concluded the season at the bottom of the table with 12 points, while Dhaka finished slightly higher with 25 points from seven matches.

Rangpur and Khulna Settle for a Thrilling Draw

At the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium, Rangpur and Khulna played out a dramatic draw. Chasing a target of 259, Rangpur teetered at 102/6 before recovering to finish at 242/7, just 17 runs short of victory.

Mahedi Hasan was the standout performer for Khulna, taking four wickets in the second innings and a career-best seven wickets in the first innings, earning him the Player of the Match award.

Tanbir Haider’s unbeaten 78 and Ariful Haque’s aggressive 56 helped Rangpur stave off defeat. With this draw, Rangpur finished fourth in the league table with 25 points, while Khulna ended just behind them with 24 points.