In what appeared to be a predestined victory for the star-studded Dhumketu XI, a spectacular late-innings blitz from Nurul Hasan turned the tide, securing a breathtaking two-wicket win for Durbar. Chasing a target of 156 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Durbar seemed dead and buried at 81-6, only for Nurul to produce a knock of such ferocity that it left the national-team-heavy opposition stunned.
The Great Escape
The equation heading into the final two overs was daunting: 36 runs required from 12 deliveries. To many observers, the result was a foregone conclusion. However, Nurul, who finished unbeaten on a magnificent 76 from 44 balls, had other ideas.
In the penultimate over, he launched a savage assault on the seasoned Shoriful Islam, dispatching him for four towering sixes and accumulating 26 runs in a single over. This shifted the momentum entirely, allowing Nurul to single-handedly account for 27 of the final 36 runs needed. Earlier in the innings, he had found a steady partner in Mohammad Saifuddin, with whom he shared a crucial 41-run stand that kept Durbar within touching distance.
Dhumketu’s Fragile Total
Batting first, the Dhumketu XI struggled to find their rhythm on a Mirpur surface that offered plenty for the bowlers. Litton Das top-scored with a measured 43 from 37 balls, including five boundaries, but the rest of the top order failed to ignite. Useful contributions from Mahedi Hasan (31* off 27) and Saif Hassan (28 off 20) pushed the total past the 150-mark—a score that initially looked defendable given the quality of their bowling attack.
| Player | Team | Performance Highlights |
| Nurul Hasan | Durbar | 76* (44) – 4 Fours, 6 Sixes |
| Litton Das | Dhumketu | 43 (37) – Top scorer for his side |
| Mahedi Hasan | Dhumketu | 4-11 (4 overs) & 31* (27) |
| Hasan Mahmud | Durbar | 2-35 (4 overs) |
Bowlers’ Duel
The match was a tale of two bowling units. Dhumketu’s spinners, Nasum Ahmed and Mahedi Hasan, initially suffocated the Durbar chase. Mahedi was particularly economical, returning remarkable figures of 4 for 11 in his four overs. However, even this clinical display was overshadowed by Nurul’s late-game heroics. On the Durbar side, Hasan Mahmud and Tanvir Islam were the pick of the bowlers, each claiming two wickets to restrict Dhumketu to 155.
With this result, Durbar has virtually assured themselves a spot in the final, provided Akbar Ali’s Duronto do not pull off a mathematically improbable landslide victory in their final fixture.