Bangladesh U 19 team (Screengrab)
Bangladesh
secured their second consecutive U19 Asia Cup title with a 59-run victory over India at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Iqbal Hossain Emon and Azizul Hakim led the bowling attack, each taking three wickets.
India’s captain, Mohamed Amaan, chose to field first after winning the toss.
India’s
Yudhajit Guha
made the initial breakthrough, dismissing opener Kalam Siddiki for 1 in the seventh over. A brief partnership of 24 runs between Azizul Hakim and
Zawad Abrar
followed.
Watch: Bangladesh U-19s groove in the dressing room after clinching Asia Cup glory
Chetan Sharma then dismissed Zawad Abrar in the 11th over, leaving Bangladesh at 41/2. Kiran Chormale further hampered Bangladesh’s innings by dismissing Azizul Hakim for 16 in the 19th over.
Despite the setbacks, valuable contributions from Mohammad Shihab James (40),
Rizan Hossan
(47), and wicketkeeper-batter Farid Hasan (39) propelled Bangladesh to a respectable total of 198.
Yudhajit Guha, Chetan Sharma, and Hardik Raj each took two wickets for India.
Chasing 199 for victory, India’s start was shaky. Openers Ayush Mhatra (1) and Vaibhav Suryavanshi (9) fell early. A short partnership developed between C Andre Siddarth and KP Karthikeya, offering a glimmer of hope for India.
This partnership was broken by Rizan Hossan, who dismissed Siddarth for 20 in the 12th over. KP Karthikeya was subsequently dismissed by Iqbal Hossain Emon in the 21st over.
India’s captain, Mohammed Amaan (26), and Hardik Raj (24) attempted to stabilize the chase. However, they were ultimately unsuccessful, with India being bowled out for 139.
Iqbal Hossain Emon and Azizul Hakim each claimed three wickets for Bangladesh, while Al Fahad took two.
Iqbal Hossain Emon was named Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament for his impressive 13 wickets throughout the competition. This victory marks Bangladesh’s second consecutive U19 Asia Cup title, showcasing their dominance in the age-group tournament.
