Soumya guides Bangladesh to Emerging Cup final

Bangladesh Emerging Team have beaten Afghanistan Emerging Team by seven wickets in the second semi-final of the ACC Emerging Cup at Mirpur. Soumya Sarkar was adjudged man of the match for his fifty and three wickets.

Winning the toss, Bangladesh skipper Nazmul Hossain Shanto invited the Afghans to bat first. The Afghans were dealt with an early blow as they lost opener Abdul Malik in the very first over to Hasan Mahmud. They kept on losing wickets continuously and were reduced to 36-4 within 12 overs. Throughout the innings, they failed to recover from that damage and kept on losing wickets in regular intervals. Darwish Rasooli held up one end to ensure they could reach a fighting total and was helped by Waheedullah Shafaq and Tariq Stanikzai in the ending overs. But an impressive death bowling display from the Bangladesh bowlers ensured that Afghanistan ended on 228-9. Rasooli fought a lone fight to score 114 with Tariq and Shafaq scoring 33 and 34 respectively. Soumya Sarkar and Hasan Mahmud picked up three wickets each whereas Tanvir Islam picked up a couple. 

In reply, Bangladesh lost Naim Sheikh for 17 in the fourth over but a 106-run stand between Soumya and skipper Nazmul ensured that the ship was steady. Runs kept coming for Bangladesh as both Soumya and Nazmul were batting aggressively. Both of them picked up their fifties before getting dismissed, with Soumya and Nazmul scoring 61 and 59 respectively. These two were out in quick successions to give the hosts a scare, but an unbeaten partnership of 75 runs between Yasir Ali Chowdhury and Afif Hossain secured a comfortable win for the Emerging Tigers. Afif and Yasir were unbeaten on 45 and 38 respectively. Abdul Wasi picked up a couple of wickets with Azmatullah Omarzai picking up the other wicket. 

Bangladesh will face Pakistan Emerging in the final of the tournament on Saturday at Mirpur.