Key Points
- Pakistan bowled Bangladesh out for 121 in a rain-hit U19 Asia Cup second semi-final.
- Bangladesh lost momentum after a steady start, slipping to 65/5 as Subhan struck thrice in a decisive spell.
- Samiun Basir’s 33 was the lone bright spot for Bangladesh’s batting amid a collective collapse.
- Sri Lanka posted 138/8 against India in the first semi-final, with Chamika Heenatigala top-scoring with 42.
DUBAI: Abdul Subhan’s four-wicket haul powered Pakistan into a commanding position as they restricted Bangladesh to a modest 121 in a rain-hit ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup semi-final at The Sevens on Friday.
With the match reduced to 27 overs per side, Pakistan captain Farhan Yousaf won the toss and elected to field, a decision that paid immediate dividends. Bangladesh were bowled out in 26.3 overs after failing to build sustained partnerships.
Openers Rifat Beg and Zawad Akbar provided a steady start with a 24-run stand before both fell in quick succession to stall the momentum. Skipper Azizul Hakim attempted to steady the innings with a brisk 20 off 26 balls but became Abdul Subhan’s first major scalp in the 13th over.
Subhan then struck twice more in quick succession as Bangladesh slipped to 65 for five. Ahmed Hussain compounded the Tigers’ woes in the following over by dismissing Sheikh Parvez Jibon for nine, reducing the defending champions to 73 for six.
All-rounder Samiun Basir led the late resistance, top-scoring with 33 off 37 deliveries, including a six and a four, but he found little support from the lower order.
Subhan finished with impressive figures of four for 20 from six overs. Huzaifa Ahsan claimed two wickets, while Ali Raza, Mohammad Sayyam, and Ahmed Hussain picked up one apiece to keep Pakistan firmly in control.
Sri Lanka set 138 against India in rain-affected first semi-final
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Under-19s posted a competitive 138 for eight in their allotted 20 overs against India Under-19s in the first semi-final of the Under-19s Asia Cup at ICCA Dubai on Friday. The match was reduced to 20 overs per side due to wet outfield.
Opting to bat first, Sri Lanka made a brisk start through opener Viran Chamuditha, who struck a rapid 19 off just 11 balls, including three fours and a six, before being dismissed by Deepesh Devendran. His opening partner Dulnith Sigera struggled to find rhythm and fell for one, leaving Sri Lanka 15 for one in the third over.
Captain Vimath Dinsara anchored the innings with a composed 32 from 29 deliveries, but regular wickets prevented the Islanders from building momentum. Kavija Gamage was run out for two, and Dinsara’s dismissal in the 12th over left Sri Lanka at 73 for four.
Chamika Heenatigala played a crucial middle-order role, top-scoring with a well-crafted 42 off 38 balls, including three boundaries. A late surge came from Sethmika Seneviratne, whose aggressive 30 off 22 deliveries, featuring two fours and a six, pushed Sri Lanka close to the 140 mark before he was dismissed off the final ball of the innings. Sanuja Ninduwara remained unbeaten without scoring.
India’s bowlers shared the wickets effectively, with Henil Patel and Kanishk Chouhan claiming two each. Kishan Singh, Deepesh Devendran and Khilan Patel chipped in with one apiece to restrict Sri Lanka to a run rate of 6.90 per over.
