Sylhet cricket is telling stories again

The lost glory is returning. A brutal batting display from Taufiq Khan Tushar, blended perfectly with the experience of Mushfiqur Rahim, saw Gymkhana Club lift the title and restore the Sylhet League to a new height.

There was a time when the Sylhet League had a glow of its own. Beyond the Dhaka League, it stood as a living example of how a regional tournament could still be rich in star power. On these very grounds once stood Sri Lanka’s World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga. Indian cricketer Raman Lamba also played here, later becoming a living legend of the Dhaka League. With the footsteps of the country’s finest cricketers echoing through it, the Sylhet League was once a destination of dreams and a source of pride.

Time dulled that shine. But history knows Sylhet does not stand still. The desire to reclaim that past glory has now become visible through the initiative of the Sylhet District Sports Association. And symbolising that revival was the presence of one of Bangladesh’s most dependable names — Mushfiqur Rahim.

Sunday’s final league match at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium was, in effect, an undeclared final. Gymkhana Club faced Bangabir Agragami Krira Chakra, with the championship resting entirely on the result. In a contest heavy with pressure, Gymkhana turned to experience, bringing Mushfiqur into the XI. The national team wicketkeeper-batter once again showed that the big stage is where he belongs.

Mushfiqur produced a masterful 103 from 67 balls, striking five sixes and ten fours. Yet the spotlight was firmly stolen by Sylhet’s own Taufiq Khan Tushar. He reached his century in just 45 balls, crossed 150 off 67 deliveries, and raced to a double hundred in only 92 balls. His final tally read a staggering 207 from 97 balls, featuring nine fours and an astonishing 21 sixes — an innings that will live as folklore in Sylhet League history.

Sharing a second-wicket stand of 212 with Ashraful Haque Rihad, who scored 54, Tushar made it clear this was not just an individual masterpiece, but a statement of collective dominance.

Even after Tushar’s dismissal in the 34th over, the innings never lost momentum. Guided by Mushfiqur’s composure, Gymkhana surged to a mountain of 437 for seven in 50 overs — a total that left Bangabir’s bowlers virtually helpless.

In reply, despite boasting experienced names such as Alok Kapali and Imtiaz Hossain Tanna, Bangabir were bundled out for 176 in just 27 overs. The result was a crushing 267-run victory, sealing the title for Gymkhana Club.

This match did more than decide a champion. It sent out a declaration: the Sylhet League is back. Its heritage, its appeal, and its dreams are returning. The league that once hosted Ranatunga and Raman Lamba now witnesses centuries from Mushfiqur and a double hundred from Tushar.

Sylhet cricket is telling stories again.

And this single match has proven that the next chapter of that story promises even greater excitement.