UNB, Dhaka :
Bangladesh Under-19 team reached the quarterfinal of the ICC Under-19 World Cup Cricket with one match to spare eliminating Namibia by 52 runs in their 2nd Group B match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium (Nursery -1) in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
With the day’s successive win, the Young Tigers top the Group B list securing full four points from two matches and will now meet Australia in the last group encounter on Wednesday (Feb 19) to decide the group champion.
Earlier, in group opener on Saturday, Bangladesh made a flying start in the ICC Under-19 World Cup beating Afghanistan by 10 wickets with 45 balls remaining.
Chasing 234 runs in 50 overs in Monday’s match, 1CC associate member Namibia were all out for 181 runs in 49 overs with opener RAH Pitcher contributing team highest 40 runs off 72 balls that included three fours.
Two down MG Erasmus scored 63-ball 37 runs with two fours and a six, while number five batsman JP Kotze scored 37-ball 35 runs, also with two fours and a six.
Besides, MP Delport (16), JJ Smit (12), JB Wessells (11) and JJ Brand (10) were the other major contributors for Namibia.
Mustafizur Rahman and Mosaddek Hossain claimed three wickets each for 24 and 29 runs respectively while Nihaduzzaman took one wicket for 37 runs.
Earlier, batting first after winning the toss, Bangladesh youth team posted 233 runs for 5 wickets in 50 overs, making a good start scoring 106 for 2 in 26.3 overs.
Number four batsman Mosaddek Hossain, who contributed unbeaten 70 runs off 76 balls with four fours in addition to his three-wicket haul, was adjudged man of the match.
Opener Shadman Islam, who was adjudged man of the match against Afghanistan scoring unbeaten 126 runs on Saturday, scored 65 runs off 109 balls with three fours.
Besides, one down Litton Das (31), opener Joyraz Sheikh (22), middle order Nazmul Hossain Shanta (22) and Abu Haider (15) were the other notable Bangladesh batsmen who reached double figures.
J Coetzee grabbed two wickets for 29 runs while MG Erasmus, JB Wessells and JJ Smit took one wicket each for 27, 50 and 55 runs respectively.
