Bangladesh U-19 Begins Asia Cup Campaign with Victory

Bangladesh U-19 marked the start of their Asia Cup journey with a resounding 45-run victory over Afghanistan in Dubai. Powered by skipper Azizul Hakim Tamim’s century and a strong bowling performance, the defending champions began their title defense in style.

In the opening match of the U-19 Asia Cup, Bangladesh, batting first, posted a challenging total of 228 runs. Captain Azizul Hakim Tamim led from the front with the tournament’s first century, supported by opener Kalam Siddique, who scored a crucial fifty. The duo stabilized the innings and set the stage for a competitive total.

The bowlers then took charge, with Al Fahad and Iqbal Hossain Imon claiming three wickets each. Maruf Mridha also impressed, taking two wickets for just 25 runs in his nine overs. Afghanistan, despite some resistance, were bowled out for 183 in 47.5 overs.

After losing the toss, Bangladesh were put in to bat at the Dubai International Stadium. They managed 228 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in their allotted 50 overs. However, the defending champions struggled in the final 10 overs, losing 7 wickets for just 56 runs.

Chasing a target of 229, Afghanistan stumbled early as their opening partnership was broken at 21 runs, with pacer Maruf Mridha providing the breakthrough. Afghan opener Uzairullah Niazi was dismissed for just 8 runs.

Afghan captain Mahbub Khan managed only 16 runs before being sent back. However, Faisal Khan and Nasir Khan put up a 50-run partnership to stabilize the innings. Faisal scored 58, the highest for his team, while Nasir contributed 34. Their partnership ended at 116 when Faisal was dismissed.

Bangladesh’s bowlers continued to dominate, and Afghanistan’s innings came to a halt at 183. With this emphatic 45-run win, Bangladesh started their Asia Cup campaign on a high note.