U-19 World Cup: Bangladesh restrict India to 177 in final
Bangladesh Junior Tigers restricted India to 177 runs in the final of the U-19 World Cup 2020 in South Africa.
Shoriful Islam, Tanzid Hasan Sakib and Avishek Das bowled brilliantly to create a good chance for Bangladesh to lift the title for the first time in country’s history.
The junior Tigers were tremendous with the ball in the first power play when they conceded only 23 runs taking a wicket.
Opening bowling-pair Shoriful and Sakib were very accurate in their respective first spell. Shoriful conceded only seven runs in his three overs while Sakib gave away nine runs in his first five overs with three consecutive maidens.
Bangladesh managed to hit the Indian batting line in the seventh over of the innings when Divyansh Saxena tried to drive Avishek Das towards the cover area, but the ball was moving away from his body and flew to the point where Mahmudul Hasan Joy took an easy catch.
The wicket was the result of putting continuous pressure on the Indian openers. Before falling prey to Avishek, Saxena scored only two runs off 17 deliveries.
In the second wicket, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma added 94 runs on the board. But it was not enough to put the pressure back to Bangladeshi bowling attack who were disciplined to keep the economy rate low. India had to bat to 28.2 overs to reach the 100-run mark.
Sakib brought the breakthrough in the 29th over removing Tilak for 38 off 65 balls. The ball outside off stump and Tilak went to cut away but fell short at the boundary as Shoriful took a brilliant catch.
Adding only 11 runs after the dismissal of Tilak, left-arm spinner RakibulHasan removed Indian captain PriyamGarg for seven. The ball was a flighted delivery and right-handed batsman Priyam just prodded the ball to Sakib who was at the cover area.
In the fourth wicket stand, Jaiswal and wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel added 42 runs on the board. This partnership was looking dangerous until Shoriful sent back the best Indian batsman Jaiswal during the 40th over for 88 off 121 with eight fours and one six. In the very next ball, Shoriful scalped the wicket of Siddhesh Veer off a full-toss delivery at the leg-stump. Veer tried to clear to the fine-leg area but failed to connect the ball.
Going to 172 from 156, India lost four wickets. Two of them were taken by Shoriful, two fell by run-out efforts and the other two were taken by Avishek. India eventually ended on 177 all-out in 47.2 overs.
Avishek bagged three wickets for 40 runs while Shoriful and Shakib took two wickets each in the match, and RakibulHasan took one wicket as well.
Bangladesh now needs to score at an average of 3.56 runs. If they Junior Tigers manage to touch the Target of 178 runs, they will be the first Bangladesh side to win an ICC event.
