Bangladesh beat India to retain U-19 Asia Cup title

Junior Tigers posted 198 in 49.1 overs after being invited to bat first. In reply, India succumbed to 139 in 35.2 overs.

The bowlers, especially pacer Iqbal Hasan Emon, were instrumental in taking three wickets for just 24 runs.

Skipper Azizul Haque Tamim grabbed 3-8 while Al Fahad scalped two to secure their second title.

Emon was adjudged the Player of the Match and the Player of the Tournament for taking 13 wickets.

Pakistan’s Shahzaib Khan became the highest run-getter of the tournament with 336 runs.

India never got going in the chase in the final, as they lost both of their openers within five overs.

Bangladeshi bowlers continued to keep up the pressure, taking wickets at regular intervals.

Emon took two consecutive wickets in the 20th over to reduce India to 73-5, and from there they could never recover.

India captain Mohammad Aman showed a bit of resistance and top-scored with 26 runs before being dismissed by his Bangladeshi counterpart, who claimed a wicket maiden in his first over and swept the last two in his successive overs.

Earlier, openers Zawad Abrar (20) and Kalam Siddiki (one) were dismissed cheaply to leave the side 41-2, but Bangladesh fell into deep trouble when the skipper Azizul fell for 16 runs.

Rizan Hossan was the highest scorer with 47 runs off 65 deliveries, aided by three boundaries, and Shihab James contributed 40 off 67 with three fours and a six.

Farid Hossain’s valuable 39 runs off 40 balls towards the end of the innings helped them set a moderate total.

Yudhjit Guha, Hardik Raj, and Chetan Sharma grabbed two wickets apiece for India.

Bangladesh had beaten Pakistan by seven wickets in the first semi-final in Dubai on December 6.