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Payment wrangle leaves Aamir Sohail out

Holders Abahani will take on arch rivals Mohammedan Sporting in a crucial Janakantha Premier Division Cricket League two-day match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium starting this morning. The 80-over-a-side affair between the two perennial foes will begin at 9:30 am.

News is not good for Abahani fans as star left-handed batsman, former Pakistan captain, Aamir Sohail, who arrived in the capital last Thursday along with his compatriot Mohammad Hossain, would not be playing today. It was learnt that the Abahani officials could not negotiate the payment with the Lahore-based southpaw till last night. Sohail was also not present in the Abahani net yesterday afternoon.

That leaves Abahani, who are vying for a hat trick of championships, in deep trouble as they will be able to field only one foreigner-Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hossain today. In place of the other foreigner, Abahani are likely to name middle-order Hannan Sarkar for today's match.

Besides, Abahani will also miss off-spinner Saidul Islam Effee, who is on marriage leave. Tweaker Masud Rana will replace Effee.

It will be a 'do or die' contest for both the teams, who have equal 12 points from eight matches with six wins against two defeats each. The winners of the match will join leaders Biman atop the table while the losers will be somewhat ousted from the title race.

Mohammedan, who made a brilliant return to the title race after defeating leaders Brothers Union comfortably by 129 runs in their previous match three days ago, will have two major changes in their line-up which played against the Gopibagh outfit.

Left-arm seamer Morshed Ali Khan will replace injured off-spinner Sheikh Salahuddin while Halim Shah, the right-hand middle-order, is expected to play in place of left-handed opener Imran Hamid, who is running out of form. However, the popular Motijheel outfit will mostly depend on their two Kenyan recruits, Steve Tikolo and Maurice Odumbe, who have been playing well consistently.

Probable Elevens

Abahani: Akram Khan (captain), Mehrab Hossain, Azam Iqbal, Naimur Rahman, Mohammad Hossain, Hannan Sarkar, Niamur Rashid, Hasibul Hossain, Nuruzzaman, Iqbal and Masud Rana.

Mohammedan SC: Mohammad Rafique (captain), Rashedul Haque, Selim Shahed, Steve Tikolo, Maurice Odumbe, Golam Mortuza, Ashfaque Ali, Manjurul Islam and Morshed Ali Khan.