Bangladesh Under-19’s won the toss, elected to field and followed through by bowling out Canada’s juniors for just 75 in the ICC U19 World Cup Plate playoffs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi on Saturday (Feb 22). Bangladesh hit 76/1 in the 14th over to win by nine wickets. Canada’s first wicket fell with 11 on the board at the end of the third over. Two more wickets fell in quick succession and after ten overs Canada was on 26/4 – defending champions India made a similar bad start against England in the battle for the 2014 ICC U19 World Cup in Dubai.

India recovered somewhat to reach 221/8 against England, but Canada could only muster 75 all out on the day, the highest partnership being 23 for the eighth wicket between Keenen Tinto (16) and Abraash Khan (12). Talha Shaikh was the only other Canadian batsman to reach double figures, reaching 10 from 33 balls. The longest innings by a Canadian batter on the day. It possibly was not the day to have lost the toss and to be batting first, but when the team batting first makes a low score the pressure often doesn’t seem so great for the opposition.

Bangladesh opening bats Shadman Islam and Joyraz Sheikh had begun the tournament with an unbeaten stand of 216 in 42.3 overs to overhaul Afghanistan’s 212 all out. On Saturday the pair came close to repeating a ten wicket win, but Joyraz Sheikh was caught by Nikhil Dutta for 33 off the bowling of Armaan Kapoor with Bangladesh on 73; just three runs short of victory. Kapoor’s first over proved to be a wicket maiden. The run rate slowed but eleven balls later Bangladesh reached victory at 76/1 with Shadman Islam 35 not out.

So Bangladesh advance to the Plate semi-finals in a bid to secure ninth place and Canada now enter the playoffs to decide 13th through 16th places.
Mustafizur Rahman opened with 3/11 from six overs for Bangladesh. Saeed Sarkar picked up 2/15 from seven overs in the early going and Mehedy Hasan captured the last two wickets of the Canadian innings for 11 runs. Four Canadian batsmen fell leg-before wicket and there were two run outs. (EN)