A Century Against Khulna Again: Al Amin's 102, but Mymensingh in Trouble After Follow-On

Four matches are being played in this round of the National Cricket League (NCL), and each has its own story. The most talked-about name is Mymensingh's off-spinning all-rounder Al Amin Jr, who made 102 against Khulna. It is the fifth first-class century of his career, and for the second successive season his hundred has come against the same opponent. But behind the shine of the century, Mymensingh's position is weak — following on, they are 315 for 9 in the second innings, leading by only 135. The sequence of Al Amin's innings was eventful too. He retired hurt on 101, returned to bat after the fall of the eighth wicket, and was out for one off two balls, taking his total to 102. Retiring hurt and then coming back to be dismissed is not a common pattern in first-class cricket, and it makes his innings read unusually in the scorecard. Abdul Majid contributed 59 for Mymensingh, while Khulna's off-spinner Sheikh Parvez picked up the fourth wicket. The pattern of the hundreds is notable in itself. Last season, against Khulna, Al Amin made 102 not out — his fourth first-class century, ending a drought of six seasons. This time the same score, the same opponent; the only difference is that this is his fifth hundred and he did not finish unbeaten. Put simply, his last two first-class centuries have both come against the same team, and both times the score was 102. The arithmetic of the match is clear. Batting at 315 for 9 in the second innings with a lead of 135 means Mymensingh trailed by 180 on the first innings. The NCL is a four-day first-class competition in which a first-innings lead of 150 is required to enforce the follow-on, so Khulna's decision was within the rules. On the final day Khulna will need roughly 136 to win. Mymensingh's last pair must not only survive Khulna's bowling but also stretch the target enough to put the hosts under pressure. The Chattogram–Sylhet match looks the closest of the round. Sylhet made an identical 218 in both innings, setting Chattogram a target of 227. Chattogram have reached 126 for one and need 101 more. In the first innings Chattogram managed only 210, giving them a slender eight-run lead. In Sylhet's second innings, Tofayel Ahmed, batting at number nine, made a vital 47 that helped the side past 200. For Chattogram, a left-arm spinner took four wickets in each innings — eight or nine in the match — the most effective spin performance of the round. In Chattogram's second innings, Sadikur Rahman is unbeaten on 58 and Shah Paran made 51 not out. The team is chasing its second win of the competition. In the same match Amit Hasan made 34 and 20. He has been named in Bangladesh's squad for the second Test against West Indies, and playing in the NCL suggests he has been released to get match practice. In the Rajshahi–Rangpur match at Bogra, Rangpur made 256 in their first innings. Rajshahi could manage only 231 in reply, trailing by 25. In the second innings Rajshahi have reached 110 for three, a lead of 85. For Rangpur, opener Anik Sarkar made 75 and number five Iqbal Hossain 70. Rajshahi medium pacer Asaduzzaman Payel took five for 64, the best bowling figures of the round. The Barishal–Dhaka match in Rajshahi city has a different story altogether. Two full days were lost because the outfield was wet — not rain, but a wet outfield, which is unusual in a tournament like the NCL. Play began on the third day and Barishal raced to 266 for eight in a single day. Wicketkeeper Mohammad Abdullah is unbeaten on 62 and carries the responsibility of taking the total higher. Across all four matches one thing is clear: the biggest individual performance of the round is Al Amin's century, but in terms of team outcomes the most important situation belongs to Khulna. The longer Mymensingh's last pair survives on the final day, the longer Khulna's victory is delayed. Chattogram need 101 with nine wickets in hand, while Rajshahi are keeping the contest alive with an 85-run lead. Whether Barishal and Dhaka produce a result after losing two days will depend on the next two days.