Eddie Norfolk

In Group C of the 2018 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, Canada Under-19s, the 2017 ICC Americas Under-19 Champions, face the Under-19 national teams from two ICC Full Member countries, Bangladesh and England, plus Namibia, the highest ranked ICC Associate country from the 2016 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.

Canada U19s open Group C with a game against Bangladesh U19s on Monday, January 15, 2017. So here is a look at recent one-day games involving Bangladesh U19s. Bangladesh lost a five game home series with Afghanistan by 3 games to 1, and Afghanistan went on to win November’s Asian Cricket Council Under-19 Asia Cup 2017-2018 in Malaysia.

Bangladesh U19s Recent One-Day Internationals

U19s lost a home series to Afghanistan U19s in late September and early October 2017. Bangladesh won the first game, the second game was abandoned as a no result then Afghanistan won the last three games. Bangladesh was scored 75 all out in game 3 and followed with 88 in game 4 when chasing an Afghanistan U19s total of 133.

Right-hander Towhid Hridoy struck 52 in the opening game when Bangladesh broke the 200- mark with 222/9 and won. Hridoy lead the individual scorers with 92 in the last game, but his team’s 206 from 48.2 overs was not enough to overhaul Afghanistan’s 239/6. Two Afghans hit half-centuries in that fifth game: Ibrahim Zadran (83) and Darwish Razooli (75).

Bangladesh’s opening game win saw left-arm pacer Qazi Anik take 4/27 and off-spinner Nayeem Hasan chip in with 3/11. Nayeem Hasan had 5/38 in game four when Afghanistan was bowled out for 133 before Mueeb Zadran responded with 7/19 and Bangladesh tumbled to 88 all out.

Mahidul Islam (RHB) made 44 of 182/9 (43 overs) in the No Result second game of the series. His 43 was almost half of Bangladesh’s 88 (33.3 overs) in the fourth game. Mohammad Rakib (RHB) lead his team’s scoring with 46 in game two.

Bangladesh U19s in the Asian Youth Cup

Bangladesh U19s lost narrowly to Pakistan U19s in the semi-final of the fourth Youth Asia Cup in Malaysia during November 2017 after finishing top of Group A. Bangladesh had group match wins against Nepal, Malaysia and India then lost to Pakistan in the semi-finals.

In Group A games, Towhid Hridoy bagged a century, 120, and captain Saif Hasan 90 as Bangladesh cruised to 335/6 (50 overs) against Malaysia who replied with 73/8 (50 overs). Opener Pinak Ghosh 81* and Hridoy 48* lead Bangladesh to a D/L method win against India U19s and first place in the group.

Three players made half-centuries as Bangladesh tallied 274/6 in the semi-final against Pakistan
U19s: Pinak Ghosh 82, captain Saif Hasan 61, and Afif Hossain 52*. Pakistan squeezed home by 2 runs under the D/L method with 199/5 after 39 overs in the semi-final, but slumped to 63 all out when faced with Afghanistan U19s 248/7 in the Asian Youth Cup Final. Who knows what might have happened if Pakistan’s semi-final innings had continued beyond 199/5 (39 overs) with left-hand bat Mohammad Taha out for 92?

But all the games in such tournaments, including the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, are about what happened on the day. Canada’s coaches and players may see possibilities from some of Bangladesh U19s recent results.

Conditions in New Zealand are likely to differ from those in Bangladesh and Malaysia, so there’s all to play for on Monday (January 15) when Canada U19’s Group C campaign begins against Bangladesh U19s.

Five Game Home Series v Afghanistan U19s