Akbar Ali and Afif Hossain struck centuries while leg-spinner Rishad Hossain claimed a four-wicket haul on the opening day of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) one-day tournament, guiding their respective teams to comprehensive victories on Monday.

At the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogura, Akbar Ali’s maiden List A century propelled North Zone to a commanding 54-run victory over East Zone. Sent in to bat, North Zone posted a massive 335.

After an 82-run second-wicket stand between Tanzid Hasan (54 off 44 balls) and captain Najmul Hossain (68 off 87 balls), Akbar took charge of the innings. He smashed 111 off just 87 deliveries, an aggressive knock laced with eight boundaries and six sixes.

East Zone pacer Mohammad Saifuddin endured a forgettable outing, conceding 98 runs in his 10-over spell—the fifth most expensive bowling figure in Bangladesh's List A history.

In reply, East Zone was bowled out for 281 with two balls to spare. Despite Mominul Haque’s fighting 83 and an unbeaten 50 from Naim, Rishad Hossain derailed the chase by taking 4 for 57 in his 10 overs.

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Meanwhile, at the Shaheed Kamruzzaman Stadium in Rajshahi, South Zone cruised to a seven-wicket win against Central Zone, anchored by an unbeaten century from Afif Hossain.

Chasing a target of 266, South Zone found themselves at 108 for 3 before Afif and Mohammad Mithun stitched together a match-winning 159-run unbroken partnership.

The climax arrived in the 46th over bowled by Saif Hassan. With Afif on 96 and South Zone needing just two runs to win following a wide, the left-hander struck a boundary to simultaneously seal the match and bring up his hundred.

Earlier, Central Zone posted 265, bolstered by half-centuries from Mohammad Naim, Mahfizul Islam, and Mahidul Islam, but the lower order failed to push the total past the 300-mark.