After their respective bitter Barcelona exits, the South American duo look incredibly set to play alongside one another again…

Just this summer, Luis Suarez appeared on the verge of retiring from football. Because of osteoarthritis in his left knee, the striker was said to be in "constant pain". "Luis Suarez is reaching his limit," Gremio president Alberto Guerra lamented. "To be able to play, he is given almost daily injections and special treatments."

However, even though Suarez will turn 37 in January, he isn't going to quit the game, though. On the contrary, he's now set to continue his career in MLS with Inter Miami. Talk about 'the Lionel Messi effect'!

Of course, while the prospect of Suarez becoming the the latest addition to the Barcelona All-Stars assembling at the DRV PNK Stadium generated quite the buzz in American soccer when it was first mooted in July, Gremio were less than impressed by the Uruguayan's miraculous recovery from his seemingly chronic injury issue.

"Suarez is now a problem that is in the president's hands," coach Renato Gaucho told reporters at the time. "They are exchanging ideas. As a coach, I have to focus on leading the team. "It seems like a Mexican soap opera that should end now."

There is little chance of that now, though. The Luis Suarez show, a source of seemingly never-ending drama over the past 15 years, is now set for a fittingly grand finale alongside his great friend Messi.

Getty ImagesSuarez's bitter Barcelona exit

Suarez and Messi spent six years playing alongside one another at Barcelona, winning 13 trophies together. However, the way in which their time at Camp Nou came to an end never sat right with either man.

Suarez was one of the victims of Barcelona's disastrous 2019-20 season – the club's first trophy-less campaign in 12 years. Ronald Koeman had informed the Uruguayan just days after being unveiled as the Blaugrana's new boss that he no longer had a future at the club but, according to Suarez, the Dutchman was merely doing Josep Maria Bartomeu's bidding.

The Barca president had publicly intimated that Suarez was for sale by leaving him off a list of players that he deemed 'untouchable' but the forward still insists that Bartomeu never actually spoke directly to him.

"The president said everything in the press instead of calling me," he later told El Partidazo de COPE. "The moment they wanted Leo [Messi] to stay they called me to use me to convince him, to talk to [Antoine] Griezman… So why didn’t they call me when they wanted me to leave? Or why did the coach not come and tell me that he does not count on me because he wants another type of striker?

"Koeman told me I wasn’t in his plans, then he said 'If we don’t figure this out by tomorrow, you’re back in my plans and I’m counting on you.' I saw then that the man had no personality. He was not strong enough to tell me I was not needed. The decision [to sell] came from the board."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMessi furious over friend's exit

Whatever the precise truth, Messi was enraged by his team-mate's treatment, which was hardly surprising. From the moment of Suarez's arrival at Camp Nou in 2014, the pair gelled as well off the field as they had on it, forming a formidable front three with another South American in Neymar, who would also become a close friend.

Suarez and Messi's families also formed a strong bond, their children played together and their respective partners, Sofia Balbi and Antonella Roccuzzo, even opened a boutique together in 2017.

So, Suarez's horribly handled sale, which reduced the No.9 to tears, was always going to upset Messi, who vented his fury on Instagram after his fellow forward's transfer to Atletico Madrid had been confirmed.

"You deserved a farewell befitting who you are: one of the most important players in the history of the club, achieving great things for the team and on an individual level," Messi wrote. "You did not deserve for them to throw you out like they did. But the truth is that at this stage nothing surprises me any more."

Getty ImagesSuarez's revenge

By that stage, it was already clear that Messi's relationship with Bartomeu had completely broken down. In an exclusive interview with GOAL, the captain had eviscerated the president, accusing him of breaking a succession of promises, so his very public criticism of the club was wholly unsurprising.

But the Suarez sale also made little sense from a sporting perspective. Suarez may have been slowing down a tad but it was clear that he wasn't completely finished, given he had scored 21 times in 36 appearances during the 2019-20 campaign.

There was an obvious risk that Barcelona were weakening their attack while simultaneously strengthening a rival's – and that's exactly how it panned out, with Suarez making a mockery of the decision to ditch him by firing Atletico to the Liga title.

And Suarez being Suarez, he made no attempt to hide the fact that he had been driven by the bitterness over the brutal nature of his Barcelona exit, admitting that he had even considered sending a photo of himself celebrating his Primera Division success to Bartomeu and the board members who had removed him so unceremoniously from his former club's roster.

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GettyThe 'impossible' dream

Of course, just a few months later, Messi left Barcelona in tears, too.

Despite the financial mess left behind by Bartomeu, who was forced to step down in October 2020 with the Catalans of the verge of bankruptcy, it was hoped that his successor, Joan Laporta, would find a way to keep the club's all-time leading goalscorer on the books. But the grim economic reality of the situation put paid to that pipe-dream.

Messi left for Paris Saint-Germain and with that, his hopes of ever again playing alongside Suarez appeared to be over. Suarez spent a second season at Atletico but returned to first club Nacional in the summer of 2022. He left just six months later, after playing a pivotal role in a Uruguayan title win, but joined Gremio on a two-year contract.

So, even after Messi sensationally announced that he would be moving to MLS on June 7, Suarez quickly dismissed the idea that the pair might enjoy a reunion in Miami.

"It is impossible," Suarez told Uruguayan newspaper El Observador. "I am very happy at Gremio and I have a contract until 2024."

Nottingham Forest may have found the perfect Brennan Johnson replacement as the Tricky Trees eye Sydney van Hooijdonk, according to reports from Italy.

What's the latest Nottingham Forest transfer news? – Sydney van Hooijdonk identified

After escaping relegation last season, Forest are keen to strengthen their squad and build on the back of their first season back in the Premier League, with the club linked to a number of different players.

Former Premier League defender Roman Saiss is reportedly on the club's radar, with Steve Cooper determined to strengthen the team's back line.

Forest have also identified a Keylor Navas replacement after the goalkeeper returned to Paris Saint-Germain, with Citta Celeste reporting that the club have made an offer for Lazio's Luis Maximiano.

On the flip side, one man that may be leaving the Forest Ground is talisman Johnson.

According to reports, the 22-year-old has caught the attention of Aston Villa, West Ham and Everton, so the club have begun searching for a possible successor.

Well, it seems they've found the perfect replacement in Bologna's van Hooijdonk, according to Corriere Di Bologna.

How does Sydney van Hooijdonk compare to Brennan Johnson?

While the 23-year-old dynamo was primarily played as a centre-forward last season during his loan spell at Eredivisie side, SC Heerenveen, he is also more than capable of putting a shift in on the left wing and Forest have identified him as a possible successor to Johnson.

On paper, the two men aren't all that similar, but in van Hooijdonk, Forest would replace Johnson with a natural goalscorer.

The Dutch forward scored 19 goals in all competitions last season, double the tally that the Englishman put up himself, whilst in the past, talent scout Jacek Kulig has described the "prolific" frontman as a "target man" who has "athleticism," with the latter attribute comparing well to Cooper's current gem.

With an average WhoScored rating of 6.83, van Hooijdonk out-performed Johnson who averaged a score of 6.49, and the two men put up a similar number of key passes, with van Hooijdonk averaging 0.5 a game, while the Forest man averaged 0.7.

Having controlled the ball with his feet 426 times last season, the Dutchman showed a similar ability to Johnson, who controlled the ball 450 times with his feet last season.

With the Forest man set to fetch the club at least £30m in any potential move away, and van Hooijdonk valued at just £2.5m, the forward would be a bargain for the club and offer a worthy successor to the talented Englishman.

Interestingly, the 6 foot 3 Bologna man's father Pierre played for Forest in the late 1990s, and the deal ended sourly when the former player refused to play for the club towards the end of his time there, drawing criticism from fans and his teammates, so the 23-year-old could potentially offer the chance to rewrite the van Hooijdonk name in the eyes of the club and everyone surrounding it.

When Leeds United secured promotion to the Premier League in 2020 after 16 years away, a city erupted into rapture. Manager Marcelo Bielsa was soaked in adulation, the players revered as saviours, harvesting the malaise of two decades and returning the club to its rightful place.

And initially, this was carried out with aplomb; the Whites' first season back in the Premier League resulted in a ninth-placed finish and an admiration from supporters of English football for the attractive football and cohesive efforts of a unified squad.

To say it unravelled would be an understatement, and Bielsa's dismissal in February 2022 confirmed the end of an era at Elland Road; the subsequent appointment of Jesse Marsch did little to quell the escalating discontent, with a near-escape from relegation unable to be built upon this term, and the bitter fate has been confirmed, and Leeds return to the second tier.

But with the 49ers now imminently awaiting the confirmation of their takeover of the club, there is reason to hope for greener pastures once again in west Yorkshire, with the right moves on the transfer front surely setting the prestigious outfit in good stead for an immediate return to the top-flight.

And while there will be a multitude of outgoings this summer, one player who must be fervently convinced to remain at the club is USMNT international Tyler Adams, who has been one of the bright sparks in a dull and uninspring crop.

Should Leeds keep hold of Tyler Adams?

While the 24-year-old would no doubt fetch a pretty penny if sold over the coming months, the value of keeping him as the nucleus of the Leeds midfield is vital to ensure that the Premier League is the forthcoming destination.

There have been reports that the Whites have slapped a £40m price tag on the industrious ace amid interest from the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Aston Villa, and while recuperating such a fee after the chastening plummet from the Premier League would be beneficial, his exploits on the pitch would not be easily replaced.

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post's Graham Smyth, the club will "make a big play" to keep the gem at the club, and while it will not be easy, Leeds' chances of promotion would increase tenfold with the £55k-per-week Adams in the middle, pulling the strings.

Signing from RB Leipzig for around £20m one year ago, Adams was always viewed as the successor to Kalvin Phillips, with the endeared midfield general departing for Manchester City in a £45m deal several days prior.

Described as a "monster" by former Crystal Palace star Yannick Bolasie, Phillips starred for United across their first two Premier League seasons of recent times but notably stole the show with his stunning performances in the 19/20 Championship season, where he earned an average Sofascore rating of 7.28, completing 82% of his passes, averaging 1.8 key passes per game, and making 2.6 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 1.3 clearances per outing.

Comparatively, the 36-cap USA centre-midfielder recorded a respectable average rating of 6.98 in the Premier League this season, completing 82% of his passes, averaging one key pass per match and making 3.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions.

Adams could be the "tackling machine" – as praised by Kevin Campbell – that the club needs to return to prominence, and with the robust brute pulling the strings with his all-encompassing work, it could be a successful season for a side desperate to return to former glory,

Quinton de Kock said he wasn’t affected by facing Jeetan Patel despite falling to the spinner in his last four international innings, and just focused on turning the pressure around on the hosts

Firdose Moonda in Wellington17-Mar-2017Quinton de Kock “knew straightaway” that he would come up against Jeetan Patel, but instead of dreading facing the offspinner who had dismissed him in his last four innings, de Kock was “not at all” anxious. Quite the opposite.”I was looking forward to the battle again,” de Kock said.Patel was brought on to bowl the last over before lunch, nine balls after de Kock had arrived at the crease, and de Kock decided he would not be done in. “I have played against so many offspinners in my life. I know Jeetan is a good bowler and he has me four out of four but I knew I could still get on top of him if I just put my head down,” de Kock said. “It happened today, so it was nice to finally get one over him.”Not only did de Kock survive Patel, but he also combined with Temba Bavuma to wrest the advantage in South Africa’s favour.”We knew the pressure was on us. The mindset was to somehow shift the pressure onto them. I didn’t want to get bogged down, so the only way forward that I knew was to play my natural game,” de Kock said. “I was obviously a little bit more aggressive than usual, but it was something that needed to be done.”Bavuma and de Kock scored 114 runs in 28 overs in the second session as the surface eased.”As conditions flattened out, they made the most of it and played well,” New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner conceded. “Full credit to de Kock and Bavuma, who showed lot patience and grafted through that period. You expect that from a quality team.”While de Kock already regarded South Africa’s 81-run lead as good enough and anything more “a bonus,” Wagner said New Zealand were “pretty happy with the position they are in.” Southerly winds are set to pick up on Saturday, which will make bowling tough for South Africa, and if New Zealand can make sure they set a decent target, Wagner hopes Patel can still have a say – if not on de Kock, then on the outcome of the match.”If it’s a southerly and quite cold, it’s going be tough work [to bowl]. It’s quite hard to control your length and line at times,” Wagner said. “I think Jeets [Patel] is definitely in the game. It does tend to bounce here and the footmarks deteriorate. It depends on how it deteriorates but Jeets definitely has a big role for us in the second innings.”

Pace bowler Boyd Rankin has been ruled out of Ireland’s two one-day internationals against England next month but Kevin O’Brien and Paul Stirling have recovered from their recent injuries.Rankin, who played one Test, seven ODIs and two T20Is for England between 2013 and 2014 before resuming his career with Ireland, is suffering from a back problem which kept him out of the recent matches against Afghanistan. Ireland will also be missing 21-year-old legspinner Jacob Mulder due to a back problem.

Ireland squad for England ODIs

William Porterfield (capt), Andrew Balbirnie, Peter Chase, George Dockrell, Ed Joyce, Tim Murtagh, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Kevin O’Brien, Niall O’Brien, Paul Stirling, Stuart Thompson, Gary Wilson, Craig Young

Kevin O’Brien injured his hamstring during the one-day series against Afghanistan but is now able to resume his spot in the middle order, while Stirling has recovered from a finger injury which kept him out of the Intercontinental Cup match against the same opponents.The series marks Ireland’s first one-day internationals on English soil, with matches at Bristol and Lord’s, and begins a busy month for Ireland who then take part in a tri-series involving Bangladesh and New Zealand in Dublin.”There’s no doubt that the games against England will be tough but we’ve got some hard cricket under our belts this past few months and that will stand us in good stead for the challenges that await,” Porterfield said. “We’re all determined to do well, and while we’ll certainly respect England, there’s absolutely no fear factor there.”

The Australia vice-captain told Channel Nine that players were committed to ensuring that all players shared in the game’s upside, not just an elite few

Daniel Brettig18-Jun-20173:46

The pay dispute at a glance

Australia’s vice-captain David Warner has underlined the willingness of the nation’s top players to go without employment in order to achieve the retention of the fixed revenue percentage model at the heart of the pay dispute between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association.Less than two weeks remain before the expiry of the current MoU, with CA and the ACA making very little progress in talks over how to reach a compromise on the next deal. CA is adamant in its desire to break up the revenue sharing model and fix the wages of all but the top male and female players.Warner, who has been the most outspoken critic of the board in recent weeks after the chief executive James Sutherland threatened they would be left unemployed if the ACA did not agree to CA’s terms, told Channel Nine that the players were committed to ensuring all cricketers shared in the game’s upside, not just an elite few.”We’re prepared as players to give a little bit more in that revenue share [percentage],” he said of the ACA’s proposal to reduce the players share from around 26% to 22.5% with more money to go to grassroots levels. “But that’s what we want. We’re not going to budge from the revenue sharing model, we want equality, and a fair share for domestic and female players. That in a nutshell is what it’s all about.”We’ve been offered contracts and we’ve knocked them back. That’s because we want to make sure the female players and domestic players are in this revenue share model. In the decades that have gone past, the past players that have been in our situation have stood up for us. I was a domestic player, I was a young kid coming through, we’re doing the same as what they did as well.””From where I stand and the position I take on this, I try to take as much heat off [Steven Smith] as possible.” – David Warner•Associated Press

CA last week named a squad for the scheduled Test tour of Bangladesh in August, but Warner stated bluntly that there would be no players boarding the plane for the series if no agreement had been reached. He also reiterated his view that the Ashes, too, would be threatened by a lengthy dispute.”From our point of view I want to play for Australia and so do the other boys,” Warner said. “But if there’s nothing that’s put in place for what we’re trying to achieve here, from both point of views, we’re not going to tour Bangladesh, there might not be an Ashes if we don’t have an MoU.”We want to keep playing cricket for Australia, that’s our goal. If there’s no cricket in summer, what are we going to do? We’re going to be locked out. Where do we train? They can lock us out from all the different training facilities. It’s going to be disappointing if it comes to that, we want to keep playing for Australia. But if we don’t have the MoU done, it’s going to be hard for us to walk on that plane come Bangladesh.”From July 1, we’re unemployed. We’ve been threatened with that. We’re hopeful there’s going to be an agreement done — it’s a sticky situation.”There has been a contrast in Warner’s outspokenness next to the more measured words of the national team captain, Steven Smith. Warner said he was happy to stick his head above the parapet on the issue, though admitted Smith could perhaps also be more vocal as the days tick down to the MoU expiry.”From where I stand and the position I take on this, I try to take as much heat off [Smith] as possible. He does lead us on the field, and rightfully so off the field as well, he does a great job,” Warner said. “In this circumstance I’m willing to go out there into bat for everyone. Yeah sometimes he could probably push a little bit more, but I think he’s doing a great job, as well as the other players like Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood as well.”Talks between CA and the ACA are expected to continue this week.

Manchester United target Andre Onana is "open" to a move to Old Trafford this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Is Onana joining Man United?

With Erik ten Hag's side having finally agreed a deal with Chelsea for Mason Mount, attention has turned to replacing the departing David de Gea, who is edging towards leaving the club following the expiration of his contract.

The man they have seemingly turned to is Inter's Onana, who is in contact with United over a move to the Premier League.

Despite no fee having been agreed with the Italian side as of yet, it is believed that Inter will demand a fee of around £50m for their 27-year-old shot-stopper. United will be hoping to get that figure down, or at least spread the payment over a long period of time.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Onana is keen on a move to the Premier League and is open to joining the Red Devils on a permanent basis.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, the Italian said: "Something I mentioned yesterday night and in the past few days about Andre Onana is that Manchester United interest is there. I can say that also in the recent hours, today Man United had one more contact with Andre Onana's camp."

He added: "They [Inter] want around €50/55m for Onana, not less than this. But, for sure Man United interest is there. They're very well informed on the conditions, on player and club side, and the player would be open to Premier League experience."

The fact that Onana is open to a Manchester United will only strengthen the club's position when bargaining for the Cameroon international, although it appears that United are yet to approach Inter directly to speak about the transfer.

Chelsea were also interested in Onana, with the Blues eager to replace Edouard Mendy, but United have jumped ahead of them in the queue.

Is Onana an upgrade on De Gea?

When comparing Onana with his potential predecessor De Gea, both in their domestic leagues only, the two goalkeepers are not too dissimilar in standard.

Onana conceded 0.13 fewer goals per 90 and boasted a 2.4% higher save percentage than his counterpart, while De Gea enjoyed a significantly better clean sheet percentage (44.7 to 33.3).

However, there is a difference when it comes to distribution. Despite playing 14 fewer games than De Gea, Onana managed only 29 fewer passes, boasting a 10.1% better pass accuracy, but the main difference came with long passes as both goalkeepers had the exact same short and medium pass completion percentage.

It's clear that Onana is more comfortable with the ball at his feet and is utilised in a distributor role far more often than De Gea, which is the main reason Ten Hag is looking to move for the 27-year-old.

For Ten Hag, however, it looks like a trade worth making to help him implement his style of football at Old Trafford.

Erling Haaland’s agent has refused to reveal the release clause in the striker’s contract, saying the Manchester City star is “master of his destiny”.

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Norwegian striker starring in EnglandCould he be on the move in 2024?La Liga giants said to be keenWHAT HAS HAPPENED?

The prolific Norwegian frontman plundered 52 goals across all competitions last season – breaking countless records along the way – as he helped City to a historic Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League Treble. He has continued to star this season, leading to further speculation regarding supposed interest from La Liga giants Real Madrid.

AdvertisementGettyDOES HAALAND HAVE A RELEASE CLAUSE?

There is said to be a clause in Haaland’s deal that could be triggered by teams outside of England in the summer of 2024, but Rafaela Pimenta has told when asked what it would take for a deal to be done: "Erling's contract is known to Manchester City, his father, himself and me.”

COULD HAALAND LEAVE MAN CITY?

She went on to say of the transfer rumours that continue to rage: “Erling is the master of his destiny. Not just now but his entire life and 100%. What I mean is that you have to use balance. Us, club and player. We are all in the same boat. Things have to be talked about, treated, in such a way that everyone is okay. Comfortable and satisfied with the experience they live together. I think it is not necessary to say that Erling does what he wants. Is not true. Erling is always going to do what is good for him and for his club, Manchester City. When everyone is willing to make a change, it will be done. He's not the type of player who's going to say ‘I'm leaving, bye, I don't want to know anything’. It is not like this. And it's not going to happen because respect comes before everything. If they give it to him, he will give it too.”

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GettyHOW MUCH IS HAALAND WORTH?

Pimenta has suggested in the past that Haaland could be worth as much as €1 billion (£875m/$1bn) in the transfer market, and he has expanded on that comment by saying: “When I talk about 1 billion, I talked about a pack in which I include the years of career, the sales potential, tickets, t-shirts, sponsors, digital and everything that is coming that does not yet exist. It is impossible to say how much each thing costs. You are actually asking me how much the transfer costs and you don't have to ask me this. The market says so.”

Reigning La Liga goalkeeper of the year Marc-Andre ter Stegen is set to return ahead of schedule for an injury-riddled Barcelona.

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• German No.1 underwent back surgery in November
• Initially expected to return in February
• Reports suggest that he could be back by end of month

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ter Stegen was supposed to be a long-term absentee for the Blaugrana, facing over two months on the sidelines after undergoing surgery to fix an ongoing back issue. But the goalie has made progress in his return, and according to Spanish publication , he could be back before the end of the month.

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• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ter Stegen was facing a race against time to feature in Barca's round of 16 clash with Napoli in the Champions League. The first leg, set for February 21, was reportedly a rough target date, but it appears he will be back in the side well before that fixture.

• (C)Getty Images
  

  WHAT XAVI SAID

  The Barca boss has consistently shown faith in his side's depth to deal with the loss of his star goalie, and rubbished claims that the Blaugrana will dip into the market for depth at the position: "We have confidence in our players and Inaki Pena has been playing at a very high level."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

  Barca's attention now turns to the Spanish Super Cup, where they will take on Osasuna. A win would see the Blaugrana face one of Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid in the final, with a chance to defend their crown.

A round-up of the Dhaka Premier League matches held on April 20, 2017

Mohammad Isam20-Apr-2017In the first close contest of this season’s Dhaka Premier League, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club registered a five-run win over Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club at the BKSP-4 Ground in Savar.Needing 15 runs off the last over in a truncated game of 38 overs a side, Doleshwar’s Mohammad Sharifullah managed to hit a solitary boundary as Abdur Razzak conceded only nine runs off the deciding six balls.That Doleshwar’s chances were alive until the last over was largely due to a 108-run fourth-wicket stand between Puneet Bisht (83) and Marshall Ayub (42). But a sluggish start earlier meant there was too much to be done in the last eight overs. Shahadat Hossain picked up two wickets for Dhanmondi, while Razzak’s 3 for 39 in eight overs earned him the Player-of-the-Match award.Earlier, Dhanmondi Club amassed 235 for 7 in 38 overs, piloted by a 123-run second-wicket stand between Fazle Mahmud (55) and Imrul Kayes (67) before Nurul Hasan’s unbeaten 47 off 41. Habibur Rahman and Arafat Sunny took two wickets each.Gazi Group Cricketers cruised to an eight-wicket win, led by their bowlers, against Legends of Rupganj at the BKSP-3 Ground in Savar. Overnight rain had effected a 30-minute delay before the match got underway, reducing the contest to 47 overs a side.Gazi Group’s left-arm pace bowler Abu Hider took full advantage of the overcast conditions by picking up two early wickets during his four-wicket haul. Offspinner Parvez Rasool picked three wickets, while Mahedi Hasan bagged two, bowling out Rupganj for 156 runs in 44 overs.For Rupganj, No. 9 Mosharraf Hossain top-scored with 37 while No. 4 Mahmudul Hasan made 30.In reply, Gazi Group wrapped up the chase in 36 overs, with opening batsman Jahurul Islam closing out the game unbeaten on 62 off 106 with six fours. Mominul Haque contributed with 44 off 53 balls.Uday Kaul missed out on a century by just six runs but his effort helped Abahani Limited snaffle a 32-run win over Brothers Union at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah.Kaul struck just five fours in his 120-ball knock that spanned 41 overs. He added 96 for the opening stand with Liton Das (48) before adding a further 88 runs with Nazmul Hossain Shanto, who struck a 56-ball 49. Mahmudullah also fell one run short of a half-century, but Shuvagata Hom’s 17-ball 44 – studded with seven fours and a six – propelled Abahani to 327 for 6 in 50 overs.Opener Junaid Siddique’s century kept Brothers Union on track with his 112-ball 114, clobbering eight fours and three sixes. He added 86 runs for the second wicket with Mizanur Rahman and another 61 runs for the fourth wicket with Myshukur Rahman.However, when captain Alok Kapali fell for 6 in the 38th over, Brothers Union lost two more wickets in quick succession, including that of Siddique in the 41st over. No. 10 Nihaduzzaman kept his side in the chase with an unbeaten 32-ball 41, but it insufficient as Brothers Union could only manage 295 for 8 in 50 overs.For Abahani, Shuvagata finished with 3 for 45 from 10 overs and Mohammad Saifuddin ended on 2 for 50 after he dismissed the openers.