ICC Under-19 World Cup, Quarter-Final, Bangladesh Vs Nepal Played at SBNCS on 5 February 2016

Nepal Under-19s: 211/9 (R Rijal 72, S Dhamala 25, P Tamang 22*, Saifuddin 2/38) lost to Bangladesh Under-19s: 215/4 (Zakir Hasan 75*, Mehidy Hasan 55, Joyraj Shiek 38, Pinak Ghosh 32, S Dhamala 2/33) by 6 Wickets

Player of the Match:  Mehidy Hasan

DHAKA: Host Bangladesh beat a smart Nepal playing their hearts out in a tense action-packed quarter-final by six wickets with 10 balls to spare. Bangladesh for the first time in any global tournament qualified for the semifinals in any global tournament.

Nepal also played brilliantly stretching the host to their limit. Winning the toss and batting first Nepal put up a fighting score of 211/9 on a sluggish wicket. Accurate bowling and very tight fielding kept the Nepalese in check.

Perhaps Nepalese scored about 20 runs less. Even then Nepalese kept it tight. Finally, a wonderfully matured unbroken partnership of 117-run between Zakir Hasan and Mehidy Hasan won the match for the host.

It was a high quality batting in the quarter-final of a global tournament. Looking at the final result one may get misguided thinking that it was a cake walk, but, rather, it was a hard fought win.

Nepal came so near for a dream coming true. Yet high quality batting by two Hasans in the end took the cubs into record books. Nepal goes home presenting wonderful cricket. Hosts live to fight in the semifinal against the winner of Pakistan vs West Indies.

Nepal opting to bat encountered a highly spirited Bangladesh team bowling with hearts out and fielding like leopards. Saifuddin and Miraz striking two early blows pegged the Nepalese back to the wall at 19/2 by the 7th over. A brilliant in-swing delivery of Saifuddin rattled the furniture of S Sunar breaking through his defence, skipper Mehidy fooled Karki.

The two early blows required Nepalese regrouping for a while. Skipper Rijal and opening batsman Dhamala were doing the resurrecting acts bravely. Bangladesh captain kept rotating his bowling resources keeping things tight. Bangladesh fielding was very sharp and agile. Shanto-Zakir combination removed Dhamala running him out.

Skipper Rijal kept the score board ticking but quality Bangladesh bowling and fielding did not allow Nepalese cut loose. As many as four run outs kept Nepalese in check. The run out of Rijal scoring 72 off 80 deliveries hurt them most.

In the end 211/9 did not appear a very difficult score for tiger teens to chase. Mehidy, Shawon and Saifuddin bowled very miserly spells. They were ably backed up by smart fielders.

The wickets slowed down considerably. Nepalese also bowled reasonably well pressurizing Bangladesh teenagers. The hosts were made to struggle for every run. Saif fell to Dhamala early. Pinak and Joyraz were doing well batting sensibly till Pinak got himself run out scoring a patient 32 off 54 deliveries.

Two quick wickets of Shanto and Joyraz in quick succession brought Nepal back into the game. At this stage, Nepal started bowling and fielding superbly drying out the runs. But Zakir and Mehidy looked unnerved. They looked matured and determined.

After playing themselves in taking singles and rotating the strikes the partnership started flowering as overs started running out. The situation started growing tense. But the pair produced a high quality match winning matured partnership. While captain Mehidy anchored the innings, Zakir played a brilliantly paced innings of 75 of 77 balls with five 4’s and massive winning stroke of six.

Mehidy remained unbeaten on well compiled 55 off 65 balls. The pair produced an unbroken 117-run 5th wicket partnership which secured Bangladesh a place in the top four for the first time in any global cricket tournament.

The way Bangladesh pair batted under pressure must give them heart. This team is showing great maturity and nerveless character which makes them a tough contender for the top honor. The team for the first time had to bat well to win the match without any major contribution of their in-form brilliant batsman Shanto. They showed character and composure under pressure.

No one should take any credit away from Nepal. Throughout the tournament Nepalese played smart Cricket. Future looks very rosy for them too. The boys from Nepal deserves a pat on their back. They looked glorified in defeat as well.

BDST: 1800 HRS, FEB 05, 2016
SR

** Bangladesh into semis beating Nepal
** Bangladesh chasing 212-run target