Shykat, Zakir centuries power Sylhet to victory over Rajshahi

Sylhet produced a commanding all-round performance to defeat Rajshahi by 234 runs in the sixth round of the National Cricket League, with Shykat Ali and Zakir Hasan leading the batting effort before Nasum Ahmed finished the job with the ball.

Set a challenging target of 463, Rajshahi were dismissed for 228 in their second innings, leaving Sylhet with a convincing victory in Bogura.

The foundation for the win was laid by Sylhet's second-innings batting. Shykat scored 108, while Zakir remained unbeaten on 101 to register his 18th first-class century. Their contributions helped Sylhet declare at 318 for eight after taking control of the contest.

Nasum then took responsibility with the ball, claiming five wickets for 72 runs to dismantle the Rajshahi batting line-up. His performance ensured that Rajshahi could not mount a serious challenge despite the sizeable target.

The victory marked Sylhet's second win of the ongoing NCL season and provided a significant boost to their campaign.

Elsewhere in the sixth round, Mymensingh registered their first victory of the season, beating Barishal by 10 wickets in Chattogram. 

Barishal's Zawad Abrar scored 108 in the second innings, his maiden first-class century, but Mymensingh needed just 27 runs for victory and completed the chase without losing a wicket.

The Dhaka-Khulna encounter ended in a draw after both sides posted 513 in their first innings, with Mohammad Mithun making 182 for Khulna. Rangpur and Chattogram also shared points after their match ended in a draw.

Khulna remained at the top of the standings with nine points after six rounds, while Dhaka and Chattogram were on seven points each.