Sports

Sri Lanka lose to Bangladesh in final group game

Bangladesh sealed the top spot in Group B of the Under-19 Asia Cup, after defeating Sri Lanka by 39 runs in the final group match played at Dubai yesterday.

Bangladesh’s win was built on the back of handy contributions from their top order – Zawad Abrar (49 off 36 balls, 4 fours, 4 sixes) and Rifat Beg (36) put up an 84-run opening stand, before Captain Azizul Hakim (29) and Kalam Siddiki (32) added 53 for the third wicket.

However, Bangladesh collapsed from 163-3 to 225 all out in 46.3 overs, with off-spinner Kavija Gamage taking 4/38 to roll through the middle and lower order.

Sri Lanka, though, failed to get any momentum going in their chase, quickly falling to 38-3 in 14 overs. Chamika Heenatigala provided a brief resistance, top-scoring with 41 (67 balls, 1 four), but Bangladesh kept chipping away at the other end to enforce their advantage. At 126-8, Sri Lanka were all but out of the contest, and despite some late hits from Aadham Hilmy (39 off 38 balls), they eventually were bowled out for 186. Iqbal Hossain Emon (3/37) and Shahriar Ahmed (3/27) were the pick of the Bangladesh bowlers.

Sri Lanka will now play India in the first semi-final, while Bangladesh will take on Pakistan in the second. Both games will be held on tomorrow (19) in Dubai.

Scores:

Bangladesh (U19) 225 (46.3) (Zawad Abrar 49, Rifat Beg 36, Azizul Hakim 29, Kalam Siddiki 32, Farid Hasan 29, Rasith Nimsara 2/57, Viran Chamuditha 2/19, Kavija Gamage 4/38)

Sri Lanka (U19) 186 (49.1) (Chamika Heenatigala 41, Aadham Hilmy 39, Iqbal Hossain 3/37, Samiun Basir 2/27, Shahriar Ahmed 3/27)

Source: Daily FT