DUBAI: Ashiqur Rahman Shibli’s 129 followed by the combined bowling efforts by Bangladesh bowlers helped them thump the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 195 runs and win the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2023 for the first time.
After being invited to bat, Bangladesh U19 lost their first wicket in five overs with only 14 runs on the board.
Ashiqur Rahman Shibli was then joined by Chowdhur Md Rizwan and together they knitted a solid 125-run partnership for the second wicket.
Dhruv Parashar dismissed Rizwan (60) to break the partnership at a total of 135.
Shibli was then involved in a partnership with Ariful Islam, scoring 86 runs from 76 balls for the fourth wicket Ayman Ahamed removed the latter.
Ariful Islam departed after scoring 50 off 40, with the help of six boundaries.
Ashiqur Rahman Shibli waged a lone war from his end, while UAE bowlers kept picking wickets at regular intervals from the other end.
Bangladesh skipper Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby was the only notable contributor from the lower order with a cameo of 21 off 11.
Shibli played a brilliant innings of 129 runs from 149 balls, laced with 12 boundaries and one six, which came to an end in the final over bowled by Ahamed.
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Bangladesh U19 finished their innings at 282-8.
Ayman Ahamed topped the bowling charts for UAE with the figures of 4-52, while Omid Rehman picked two wickets.
In response, UAE failed to get the start they wanted to chase a 283-run target as they slipped to 39-4 inside ten overs courtesy of brilliant bowling by Maruf Mridha and Rohanat Doullah Borson.
Dhruv Parashar was the only batter who showed resistance against Bangladesh bowlers, but he could not get support from the other end as the wickets kept tumbling at an alarming rate.
Bangladesh bowlers bowled exceptionally well to bundle the UAE team for a meagre total of 87 inside 25 overs.
Parashar remained unbeaten with the top score of 25 off 40 with the help of two boundaries.
Akshat Rai was the only other UAE batter to cross the double figures with 11 runs from 22 balls.
Mridha and Borson led the destruction by Bangladesh bowlers, picking three wickets each, whereas Iqbal Hossain Emon and Sheikh Paevez Jibon picked two each.
Ashiqur Rahman Shibli was adjudged the man of the match as well as the man of the tournament as he scored the most runs (255) in the tournament.
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