Bangladesh U-19s bowled out for 121 in 27-over semifinal

Bangladesh Under-19 cricket team were dismissed for 121 in a rain-curtailed 27-over semifinal against Pakistan in the ongoing U-19 Asia Cup on Friday at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai.

The much-anticipated semifinal was heavily disrupted by rain, with the match, scheduled to start at 11:00am (Bangladesh time), delayed by nearly four hours. Once conditions improved, the overs were reduced and Pakistan won the toss, opting to field first.

Bangladesh’s innings got off to an unsteady start as opener Rifat Beg was dismissed for 14 off 16 balls with 24 runs on the board. The other opener, in-form Zawad Abrar, departed soon after for 9. Captain Azizul Hakim Tamim, batting at number three, attempted to anchor the innings but could manage only 20 off 26 deliveries.

The middle order failed to provide resistance, with Kalam Siddiki (8 off 23), Md Abdullah (5 off 9), Sheikh Parvez Jibon (9 off 5) and Farid Hasan (7 off 23) all falling cheaply. Samiun Basir, coming in at number eight, was the lone bright spot for Bangladesh, striking a boundary and a six in a fighting 33 off 37 balls — the highest score of the innings.

The tail offered little support as Md Sobuj (2 off 5), Saad Islam (0 off 2) and Iqbal Hossain Emon (unbeaten 1 off 2) were unable to add meaningful runs, with Bangladesh bowled out for 121 with three balls remaining.

For Pakistan, Abdul Subhan was the standout performer with the ball, claiming an impressive 4 for 20. Huzaifa Ahsan picked up two wickets, while Ali Raza, Mohammad Sayyam and Ahmed Hussain took one wicket each.

The final of the tournament will be held on December 21 at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai.