Qazi Onik and Mukidul Islam’s brilliant bowling display enable Bangladesh Under-19 team to register a comfortable four wicket win over Afghanistan in the inaugural match of the ACC U-19 Asia Cup held on Thursday at the Uyanwatte Stadium in Matara.
Skipper Saif Hassan who opens the innings made sure that his bowlers good work does not go to waste as he led from the front with superb batting display.
Barisal born right handed batsman Saif scored a flamboyant 67 runs to propel his side to stroll to a comfortable to a five wicket win scoring 150 for 6 43.1 overs.
Junior Tigers had some hiccup when they were cruising at 142 for 3 but surprisingly visitors lost three wickets for the addition of 4 runs. Saif scored 67 off 129 with ten delightful boundaries.
Afif Hossain with 19, Mahedul Islam with 12. Rayan Rafsan with 32 off 54 balls studded with four boundaries and one towering six were the other notable Bangladesh batsman.
Saif and Rayan added 74 priceless runs for the fourth wicket stand. Zahir Khan with 2 for 21 was leading Afghan bowler. Tariq, Yousuf, Mujeeb and Naveen chipped in with one wicket each for the vanquished.
Earlier batting first, right arm pacer Mukidul with the initial burst of three for 29 left the scenario for Dhaka’s left-arm medium pacer Qazi Onik, who with a devastating spell of 4-22 made sure Afghans innings folded for a meager total of 146 all out in 48.3 overs.
The overall tight bowling by the junior Tigers bowlers never allowed Afghan batsmen to dictate terms after being asked to bat first by Bangladesh skipper Saif.
Nasir Wahdat was the leading batsman for Afghanistan as he top scored 32 runs while captain Naveen-ul Huq made every effort to prolong the Afghan innings as he scored a patient 27.
Bangladesh will play their second match today (Friday) against Singapore at Galle International stadium.
