An initially promising bowling effort was first neutralised by number seven batsman Azmatullah's quickfire 81, but more sordid was the batting collapse that saw the Bangladesh Under-19s suffer a 56-run defeat to their Afghanistan counterparts in the first lead-up match to the ICC Under-19 World Cup yesterday in Christchurch.
In chase of a 207-run winning target, Pinak Gosh and captain Saif Hasan steadied the ship after losing the first wicket of Naim Sheikh in the third over as the pair added 77 for the second wicket but Pinak's departure for 54 with the score on 92 sounded the death knell as Bangladesh lost their remaining wickets for just 58 runs.
Apart from Pinak and Saif, who scored 43 off 74 balls with four boundaries, none could reach double digits and as a result Bangladesh were eventually dismissed for 150 from 92 for two to continue their poor showing against the Afghan boys, who won a five-match one-day series against hosts Bangladesh Under-19s in September-October last year.
After two practice-match defeats against a local side in Dunedin the loss against Afghanistan has once again displayed the ineptitude in the batting of the youth team where only Pinak, Saif and Afif Hossain are believed to have genuine batting calibre. The Under-19s have another warm-up game against Pakistan tomorrow before their first Group C match against Namibia on January 13, but the game against Afghanistan was the genuine opportunity for them to tune up well before the tournament proper.
In yesterday's match, Afghanistan posted a defendable 206 thanks to Azmatullah, who struck five fours and five sixes during a 66-ball 81 after recovering from 112 for seven. Hasan Mahmud bagged four wickets for 46. Robiul Haque took three for 56 and Tipu Sultan got two for 36.
In reply, Bangladesh lost wickets like ninepins after Pinak, who scored 54 off 56 balls with eight fours, returned to the pavilion.
Pacer Naveen-ul-Haq and leg-spinner Qais Ahmed had figures of four for 38 and three for 26 respectively.
In the day's other warm-up matches, Pakistan (297) beat Namibia (107) by 190 runs, New Zealand (220) beat Zimbabwe (168) by 52 runs and West Indies (106-3) beat Papua New Guinea (105) by seven wickets.
SCORES IN BRIEF
AFGHANISTAN U19: 206/10 in 48.2 overs (Azmatullah 81, Baheer 44, Ibrahim 32; Hasan Mahmud 4/46, Robilul Haque 3/56, Tipu Sultan 2/36)
BANGLADESH U19: 150/10 in 41.4 overs (Pinak 50, Saif 43; Naveen 4/41)
Result: Afghanistan U19 won by 56 runs.
