Abahani Limited players Mosaddek Hossain and Soumya Sarkar (L) stretch while Mohammedan Sporting Club batsman Liton Das (R) goes to bat during their respective training sessions at the National Cricket Academy Ground in Mirpur on Sunday. — BCB photos
Abahani Limited and Mohammedan Sporting Club will evoke their classic rivalry when the two sides take on each other in their sixth round Dhaka Premier League match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium today.
Table toppers and defending champions Abahani has had the upper hand in the rivalry in the past two years as they last lost to Mohammedan in the DPL in May 2016.
However, Mohammedan coach Monjurul Islam wanted to keep the past in the past and give Abahani a run for their money in today’s match.
‘If we see the last 3-4 matches, Mohammedan didn’t do well, couldn’t really compete. … But if we maintain our professionalism, then today’s match would be different from
the last few years,’ Monjurul told reporters on Sunday.
Abahani suffered their first defeat in the ongoing league against Prime Bank Cricket Club on Friday after winning their first four matches.
Abahani skipper Mosaddek Hossain, however, didn’t stress too much on their loss and wanted to look ahead to their next challenge.
‘After arriving in practice today [Sunday] I felt that tomorrow [today] there is an Abahani-Mohammedan match. Abahani-Mohammedan matches are always very competitive,’ Mosaddek told reporters after being asked about his anticipation for the match.
‘We have a good team. Mohammedan is also a good side. We may have lost one match but our
team is in a good position. Actually, rather than focusing on them, we are focusing more on the match,’ he added.
Mohammedan, who are fifth on the table, come into the match on the back of two consecutive defeats after winning their first three matches and would be looking to return to winning ways.
‘Looking back won’t be the right thing for our team. Our graph was upwards then it came down… We are planning match-by-match. The previous matches won’t create any problems,’ said Monjurul.
In the other two matches of the day, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club will take on Gazi Group Cricketers in Savar while Legends of Rupganj will face Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity in Fatullah.
Source: New Age.
