adminJeffrey Murimbechi Sports Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe Under-19 cricket team suffered a 72-run defeat at the hands of Bangladesh in the first Plate semi-final of the ICC Under-19 World Cup at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium Nursery 1 in Abu Dhabi yesterday. The Bangladeshi teenagers will meet New Zealand in the plate final. Bangladesh opted to bat after winning the toss and set an imposing 265-6 in 50 overs thanks to an unbeaten 83 from Mosaddek Hossain.
Zimbabwe fell short of the required total after they could only manage 193.
Bangladesh’s top order had a flying start, putting 141 for the first two wickets. Opener Shadam Islam scored 34 from 53 balls before being dismissed by Charles Kunje.
Joyraz Sheik went on to share a 77-run stand with Litton Das for the third wicket, in the process scoring his second half-century of the tournament. Bangladesh lost Das and Sheik (58) in successive overs but Hossain’s 83 held their innings together.
Zimbabwe skipper Malcom Lake maintained his strategy of using eight bowlers but they could not restrict the Asians from getting a huge total.
Zimbabwe got off to a slow start, scoring just 47 runs in 15 overs before the openers were dismissed in successive overs. Tinashe Kamunhukamwe was bowled out for 13 by Mehedy Hasan while Kunje was trapped lbw for 26.
Wickets fell at regular intervals as Bangladesh applied more pressure.
Zimbabwe were already in trouble at 65-5 in just under 23 overs.
Lake scored 38 while Luke Jongwe scored 50 from 74 balls in a failed mission to rescue the team.
Jongwe and Deven Bell shared another late partnership of 62 runs for the ninth wicket, but once Nihaduzzaman removed Jongwe, Zimbabwe’s chase collapsed.
Pick of the Bangladesh bowlers was Mehedy Hassan with 3-43 in 10 overs.
Zimbabwe will now face the United Arab Emirates in an 11th place play-off tomorrow.
Online Reporter