Dubai, Dec 13 (IANS) Openers Rifat Beg and Zawad Abrar hit half-centuries each and helped Bangladesh edge Afghanistan by three wickets in their Group B clash of the Men’s U19 Asia Cup at The ICC Academy in Dubai on Saturday. 

After Faisal Shinozada top-scored with 103, as Afghanistan posted 283/7, Bangladesh completed the chase with an over to spare despite a late collapse. Bangladesh appeared in control for a breezy end to the chase at 236/ 2, needing only 48 runs off 45 balls with eight wickets in hand.

But four wickets fell in the space of four overs, giving Afghanistan a glimmer of hope. All-rounder Rizan Hossan’s brisk 17 not out eventually settled nerves and carried Bangladesh home with seven balls remaining. Openers Abrar and Beg laid the platform for Bangladesh’s win with a rollicking 151-run stand.

While Beg fell for 62 in the 27th over, Abrar missed out on a century, dismissed for 96 by Roohullah Arab. Captain Azizul Hakim and Kalam Siddiki added 66 for the third wicket, but a middle-order wobble threatened to derail the chase before Hossan’s late intervention got them over the line.

Afghanistan’s innings was built around Shinozada’s fluent 103 off 94 balls, laced with eight fours and four sixes. He shared partnerships of 66 with Osman Sadat and 89 with Uzairullah Niazai to push the score past 200.

Despite his efforts, Afghanistan slipped to 225/7 in the 46th over, before Azizullah Miakhil (38) and Abdul Aziz (26) lifted them to 283 with a rapid unbroken stand of 58 off 28 balls, though it was not enough to save them from a loss to Bangladesh.

Brief scores:

Afghanistan U19 283/7 in 50 overs (Faisal Shinozada 103, Uzairullah Niazai 44, Shahriar Ahmed 2-43, Iqbal Hossain Emon 2-63) lost to Bangladesh U19 284/7 in 48.5 overs (Zawad Abrar 96, Rifat Beg 62; Khatir Stanikzai 2-46, Roohullah Arab 2-48) by three wickets