Bangladesh out of U19 WC with agonising defeat to Pakistan

Bangladesh suffered an agonising five-run defeat in their final ICC Under-19 World Cup Super Sixes game against Pakistan as the Young Tigers bowed out of the tournament in Benoni today. 

Having bundled out Pakistan for 155 in 40.4 overs, Bangladesh could muster 150 in 35.5 overs as their hopes of reaching the semifinals got dashed. 

Bangladesh needed to chase down the total in 38.1 overs to progress to the semifinal, but in the end, Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby's side fell agonisingly short of their goal.

Pakistan and India go through to the last four from Group 1 of the Super Sixes.

Bowling first, Bangladesh pacer Rohanat Doullah Borshon and off-spinner Shiekh Parvez Jibon claimed four wickets each to tie down Pakistan to a modest total.

Pakistan's left-arm spinner Arafat Minhas, who has already played three Twenty20s for the national team, played a crucial role with the bat for his side, top scoring with 34 off 40 balls after coming into bat at number seven, an innings which in hindsight made all the difference.

Bangladesh's reply got off to a shaky start courtesy of pacer Ubaid Shah, who struck twice inside the first Powerplay and twice more right after it as the Young Tigers were reduced to 83-6 inside 20 overs.

Mohammad Shihab James and captain Rabby then added 40 runs for the seventh wicket and put their side in with a chance.

But Ubaid broke that stand by getting James caught behind for 26 off 43 balls and Rabby fell to pacer Ali Raza, who took three wickets, for 13 off 30 balls in the following over as Bangladesh were eight down for 124 after 30.1 overs. 

The end seemed to be near when Iqbal Hossain Emon got run out for a duck, with the team still 29 runs away from victory.

Borshon then almost pulled off a miracle, scoring 21 off 24 balls, to take the score to 150 before the number 11 batter Maruf Mridha got outdone by a straight delivery from Mohammad Zeeshan, which crashed onto the stumps and crushed Bangladesh's dreams.