Afif Hossain claimed the inaugural hat-trick of the current NCL season by dismissing all three tail-enders through leg-before decisions. Despite a disappointing start with a golden duck in the previous match, Afif showcased his bowling prowess by securing a total of six wickets, including the hat-trick, for Khulna against Barishal at the Khulna Divisional Stadium.
The crucial final three wickets of the Barishal innings were taken by Afif, with Shamsul Islam Anik, Yasir Arafat Mishu, and Ruel Mia succumbing to leg-before dismissals in the 42nd over, restricting Barishal to a total of 126 all out. Afif’s exceptional performance also included earlier dismissals of Salman Hossain Emon, Shamsur Rahman Shuvo, and Fazle Mahmud Rabbi, resulting in his second five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. The talented left-arm spinner concluded with impressive figures of 6 for 31 in 10.5 overs.
Joining the ranks of esteemed Bangladeshi bowlers, Afif became the 19th player to achieve a hat-trick in first-class cricket from the country. Notable previous achievers include Ilias Sunny, Sohag Gazi, and Mohammad Ashraful, each with two hat-tricks to their names. Afif’s stellar bowling performance also marked a personal milestone, surpassing his previous best of seven for 66 against Rajshahi in the 2018 NCL edition.
In other matches, Abu Haider Rony’s remarkable century propelled Mymensingh to a strong total of 401 all out against Sylhet at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. Meanwhile, Naeem Islam reached the milestone of 11000 first-class runs while securing his 34th century, remaining unbeaten on 111 as Rangpur gained an 87-run first innings lead against Dhaka at the Sylhet Academy Ground.
Elsewhere, Hasan Murad’s superb bowling figures of six for 39 aided Chattogram in restricting Rajshahi to 196 all out at the Rajshahi Divisional Stadium. Noteworthy performances from Sabbir Sohan, Shabbir Rahman, and Mahmudul Hasan Joy highlighted the competitive nature of the ongoing matches as teams battled for dominance on the field.