Raza in bright start in Bangladesh

Harare Bureau

ZIMBABWE all-rounder Sikandar Raza made a bright start with both bat and ball as his team Shinepukur Cricket Club made a winning start in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League yesterday.

Shinepukur Cricket Club beat former champions Mohameddan Cricket Club by 41 runs in their first match of Bangladesh’s prestigious List A competition in Mirpur.

Raza, who featured for Rocks in the domestic Pro50 Championship final on Sunday, was thrown into the fray just a day after his arrival and scored 42 runs in the middle-order.

Shinepukur made 250/7 before restricting their opponents to 209 all out. Raza was the pick of the bowlers with his 2-36.

The 35-year-old is back in Bangladesh just a month after he was involved in the Bangladesh Premier League with Khulna Tigers.

He was signed by Shinepukur Cricket Cub as their sole overseas player for this year’s Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League.

The List A tournament started on Tuesday and will conclude on April 28, with 11 teams taking part.

Apart from Raza, former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez, who features for Mohammedan Sporting, Afghanistan middle-order batter Najibullah Zadran and seven Indian cricketers are among those taking part in the competition as overseas players this season.

The cricket committee of Dhaka Metropolis did not allow overseas cricketers in the Dhaka Premier League in the previous two seasons, but have decided to allow one foreign player in the first XI this year.