Bangladesh Under-19 overcome Nepal to earn first ever semi-finals spot

Bangladesh have fashioned a superb turnaround in their chase to prevail over Nepal by six wickets in the Under-19 World Cup and earn the nation the first semi-final spot in any world event.

Sports Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 5 Feb 2016, 10:12 AM
Updated : 5 Feb 2016, 12:17 PM

Electing to bat first, skipper Raju Rijal led the charge with a fine 72 to help Nepal to 211 for 9 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Bangladesh were wobbling at 98 for 4 before captain Mehedi Hasan Miraz (55) steadied the chase.

He forged a 117-run fifth wicket partnership with Zakir Hasan (75) to make history for Bangladesh with 10 balls to spare.

The hosts began with their trademark cautiousness at the start of the chase. Having lost Saif Hassan (5) early, Pinak Ghosh (32) and Joyraz Sheikh (38) added 46 runs before the former walked back due to a woeful miscommunication with his partner.

Nepal then got the upper hand by sending back top youth runscorer Nazmul Hossain Shanto for 8 before Sunil Dhamala trapped Joyraz in front in the 28th over. The quick wickets put Bangladesh in a tight spot.

Miraz and Zakir dug deep and started rotating the strikes though the Nepalese bowlers kept a tight leash on them. The duo, however, were often too keen on ones and twos and flirted with dangers of runouts.

Although the required run rate crept up to almost 7 per over, they gradually gained ground as runs started flowing from both ends. Zakir, too, played a gritty innings under pressure and stepped up as Bangladesh closed in on the target.

Having brought the equation down to 17 in the last three overs, Zakir slogged back-to-back boundary and six in the first two balls of the penultimate over to finish things off in style.

Miraz stroked his 65-ball innings with singles and twos, and survived two stumping chances. He hit just three boundaries on his way and that was good enough to earn him the Man-of-the-Match award.

Bangladesh spinners lacked their usual venom but a superb show in the field restricted Nepal to the modest total.

Pacers Mehedi Hasan Rana and Mohammad Saifuddin bowled accurately at the outset with the wicket moist in the morning.

Nepal were off to a sluggish start as well. Despite losing two early wickets, skipper Rijal played a fine knock (72 off 80 balls).

He put on 44 and 51 runs with Dhamala (25 of 62 balls) and Aarif Sheikh (21), respectively, to take Nepal to 146 for 4 in the 34th over.

But Bangladesh's spirited fielding sent three Nepalese batsmen back in the hutch, including Rijal, that put the brakes on Nepal's ambitions.

Dipendra Singh Airee (22) and Prem Tamang (22) then saw their team past 200.

Saifuddin returned 2 for 38 for Bangladesh.