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Bangladesh sail to 10-wicket win

Openers Anik and Sheik steal the show against Afghanistan; Australia down Namibia

The Australian players celebrate taking a Namibian wicket. — Courtesy ICC

Opener Shadman Islam Anik scored an unbeaten century and his partner Joyraz Sheik scored an unbeaten half-century to help Bangladesh Under-19s set the ball rolling on their campaign with a comprehensive and clinical win over Afghanistan Under-19s in a Group B fixture of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup at the Shaikh Zayed International Cricket Stadium’s Nursery Oval 2 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Southpaw Anik coshed an unbeaten 126 and Sheik scored an unbeaten 81 as Bangladesh swamped Afghanistan by 10 wickets.

Asked to make first use of the surface, Afghanistan were all out for 212 in their 50 overs. In reply, Anik and Sheik got Bangladesh home in 42.3 overs without the loss of a wicket.

In another Group B fixture at the Shaikh Zayed International Cricket Stadium, Australia Under-19s comfortably defeated Namibia by 101 runs.

Batting first, three of Afghanistan’s batsmen got starts but couldn’t translate it something really big. Opener and southpaw Mohammad Mujtaba fell three runs short of a half-century, while the other left-hander Hashmatullah Shaidi scored 43. Captain Nasir Ahmadzai made 41 before was run out by wicketkeeper Litton Das.

Off-spinner Mosaddek Hossain took three for 19, while left-arm spinner Rahatul Ferdous picked two for 38.

In reply, there was no stopping the Bangladesh openers Anik Sheik, who made it look an easy walk in the park.

Anik’s 126 came from 142 balls with 14 boundaries and a six, while Sheik’s 81 cost 114 deliveries and was studded with 11 boundaries. The duo also put on a record unbeaten partnership of 216 for the opening wicket.

In the other game, Australia, opting to bat, scored a competitive 242 with opener Matthew Short falling four runs short of a century. Short made 96 from 138 balls with nine boundaries. Wicketkeeper-batsman Ben McDermott, the son of Australia’s Test fast-bowling coach Craig, scored 45 from 63 balls with four boundaries.

Jaron Morgan made 33 from 40 balls with three boundaries.

Short added 80 runs for the second wicket with Jaron Morgan. He also put on 100 runs for the third wicket stand with Ben McDermott.

Medium pacer Bredell Wessells took four for 50, while left-arm pacer JJ Smit picked three for 55.

Namibia folded up for 141 in 44.2 overs with Bredell Wessells showing defiance with 43.

james@khaleejtimes.com