Bangladesh Under-19 Cricket team got off to a flying in the four-match Youth ODI series beating Zimbabwe Under-19 side by five wickets with 115 balls to spare in the first one-dayer at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Tuesday.
Sent in to bat first, touring Zimbabwe youth team were dismissed cheaply for 145 runs in 49.1 overs, featuring 52 runs in the 2nd wicket stand by J Ives and T Chiradza.
Opener J Ives, in his Youth ODI debut, scored the team highest 41 runs off 68 balls with five fours while another debutante W Mashinge made 75-ball 38 runs with one four and a six, lower order B Mavuta added 33-ball 17 runs including one four and T Chiradza made 14 runs off 54 balls with two fours.
Saleh Ahmed Shawon and debutant Ariful Islam bagged three wickets each conceding 19 and 23 runs respectively while Mohammad Saifuddin took two wickets for 32 runs.
In reply, hosts Under-19 team easily reached their target scoring the match-winner 146 runs for the loss of five wickets in only 30.5 overs, overcoming the initial batting collapse.
Bangladesh faced initial batting jolt losing top three wickets-Pinak Ghosh (2), Nzmul Hossain Shanta (2) and Zakir Hasan (1) — cheaply for seven runs in 3.2 overs,. But, Saif Hasan pairing with skipper Mehedy Hasan Miraj repaired the early damage contributing 101 runs in the 4th wicket stand.
Number five Mehedy Hasan Miraj hammered the match highest 65 runs off 73 balls featuring eight boundaries, opener Saif Hasan scored a half century making 80-ball 51 runs with four fours while Shafiul Hayet made not out 12 off 19 balls including two fours.
Debutant W Mashinge, who added 38 runs in Zimbabwean innings, also displayed his brilliance in bowling claiming all the five Bangladesh wickets for 27 runs in six overs and was adjudged man of the match for his all round performance.
The three remaining Youth ODI matches will be held on November 12, 14 and 16 at the same venue.
