“We are the strongest team in the league. We definitely have a chance to win the title again without losing any match,” Abahani head coach Khaled Mahmud told reporters at Mirpur National Cricket Academy on Thursday.
“I don’t think I have worked with such a strong team previously in Dhaka League,” he said.
Abahani will play against Prime Bank Cricket Club on Friday at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah. The champions are getting the services of some national team players who have returned from New Zealand.
But Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who got married on Thursday, will miss the next game.
“We need to wait more for Mehiday. But we have a balanced team,” Mahmud said. “Sometimes, we face difficulties to pick the best eleven because we have the best guys in the business. We hope the next game will be more competitive.”
Jahurul Islam, Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Mohammad Saifuddin played for Abahani in the first four rounds of the league. They have accumulated 180, 169 and 118 runs respectively. Nazmul Islam and Rubel Hossain did well with the ball with both taking six wickets each.
All-rounder Saifuddin is uncertain for the next game as he is suffering from an injury. But the coach is confident to get the service of the fast-bowling all-rounder.
Prime Bank Cricket Club have been doing well in the league so far. They won three of their first four matches and their captain Anamul Haque Bijoy struck two centuries in the league so far.
There will be two other matches on Friday.
Mohammedan Sporting Club will lock horns with Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club at Savar, and Legends of Rupganj will face Gazi Group Cricketers at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Mohammedan are at number four in the points table while Sheikh Jamal are at number 10. Rupganj and Gazi Group are at number five and seven respectively.