Dhaka – Bangladesh U-23 cricket team moved into the semifinals of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Emerging Teams Cup from four-team Group B beating hosts Pakistan U-23 side by 84 runs at Karachi National Stadium on Sunday.Despite the maiden defeat in the ongoing meet, Pakistan also reached the semifinals of the tournament as the Group B champions securing four points from two matches with better run rate beating the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by nine wickets in the last match after thrashing Hong Kong by 225 runs in their opener.
Bangladesh reached the semifinals as Group B runners-up securing four points from three matches following a “no result” in the rain-interrupted another group match between contender UAE and lowly Hong Kong. The match was stopped due to rain in Karachi when Hong Kong scored 87 for 4 in 30 overs. The UAE finished 3rd in the group with three points from three encounters.
Earlier, Bangladesh team kept their semifinal hope alive beating Hong Kong by 28 runs in their 2nd match riding on all-round performance by Mosaddek Hossain Saikat after a frustrating 97-run defeat against non-Test playing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the group opener on Thursday.
In the semifinals on Thursday (Dec 13), Group A Champions (yet to be decided) will play Group B runners-up Bangladesh at the Colombo Cricket Club ground while Group B champions Pakistan will face Group A runners-up at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, both at 9:30 am.
In the last Group A matches on Monday in Colombo, group leader India will play hosts Sri Lanka to decide the group champions while two all losers — Afghanistan will meet Oman to complete the fixture.
In the day’s Group B match, Bangladesh opted to bat first after winning the toss and piled up a comfortable 309 for 5 in stipulated 50 overs featuring two good partnerships in the 5th and 2nd wicket stands to set a tough winning target of 310 runs for Pakistan.
Number six batsman Yasir Ali Chowdhury pairing with two down Mosaddek Hossain hammered polished 126 runs in the 5th wicket while opener Zakir Hossain partnering with one down Nazmul Hossain Shanta contributed 98 runs in the 2nd wicket stand to power Bangladesh to 309 for 5 in 50 overs.
Mosaddek Hossain quick-fired team highest 85 runs off 74 balls hitting three fours and four sixes, Zakir Hossain scored run-a-ball 69 featuring eight boundaries, Yasir Ali hit 46-ball 56 runs, including five fours and two sixes, Nazmul Hossain Shanta made 54-ball 49 runs with four fours while opener Mizanur Rahman scored 44-ball 25 runs with three hits to the fence.
For Pakistan, Khushdil Shah grabbed three wickets for 48 runs while Muhammad Musa Khan claimed two wickets conceding 55 runs.
In reply, Pakistan U-23 team were all out for 225 runs in 46.5 overs to concede a humiliating 84-run defeat.
All-rounder Khushdil Shah contributed team highest 61 runs off 58 balls with the help of two fours and four sixes, Zeeshan Malik contributed 67-ball 47 runs with four hits across the rope and one over the rope, two down Mohammad Rizwan scored 51-ball 46 runs hitting three fours and one six while lower order Suleman Shafqat made 40-ball 16 runs.
Nayeem Hasan picked up three wickets for 36 runs while Mosaddek Hossain and Shafiul Islam took two for 32 and 41 runs respectively. Later, Mosaddek was adjudged man of the match for the second consecutive match.
A total of eight teams, including Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, India, Oman, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and the UAE are participating in the tournament, with Group A matches in Sri Lanka and Group B matches in Pakistan.
The two semifinals scheduled for Colombo on December 13 while final match will also be played in Colombo on December 15.UNB
