Sediqullah's brilliance hands Afghanistan victory over Bangladesh
With one win and one loss from two matches, Bangladesh 'A' now sit third in Group A with 2 points.
Bangladesh 'A' suffered a tough defeat at the hands of Afghanistan 'A' today in the ACC Emerging Asia Cup, losing by 4 wickets at the Oman Cricket Academy Ground. Despite a strong start with the ball and a respectable total of 164 for 4, Bangladesh couldn't stop the rampaging Sediqullah Atal, whose unbeaten 95 led Afghanistan to victory with five balls to spare.
Bangladesh, after losing the toss, were put in to bat first. They put together a decent score thanks to a half-century from Parvez Hossain Emon and aggressive finishing from Towhid Hridoy and Shamim Hossain Patwary. Emon played a pivotal role with 54 runs off 32 balls, smashing 4 fours and 4 sixes. Hridoy remained unbeaten on 42 from 31 balls, hitting 2 fours and 2 sixes, while Shamim added 38 not out from 24 deliveries, striking 3 fours and 2 sixes. Captain Akbar Ali only managed 4 runs before getting out. Afghanistan's Bilal Sami, Kais Ahmed, Karim Janat, and Sharafuddin Ashraf each picked up a wicket as Bangladesh finished their innings at 164 for 4.
In reply, Afghanistan had a rocky start, losing 3 wickets with just 52 runs on the board. However, Sediqullah Atal held firm, waiting for the right moment to unleash his attacking game. He played a sensational knock, staying unbeaten on 95 off 55 balls, hitting 9 fours and 5 sixes. His lone effort was enough to carry Afghanistan over the line, with no other Afghan batsman crossing 20 runs. Contributions came from Zubaid Akbari (16), Shahidullah (19), and Mohammad Ishaq (10). Ripon Mondol and Alis Al Islam were the standout bowlers for Bangladesh, each taking 2 wickets, while Abu Hider Rony and Shamim Hossain chipped in with one wicket apiece.
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Despite the defeat, Bangladesh had raised hopes of victory after a solid start with the ball. But their inability to contain Sediqullah's aggressive hitting proved costly in the end. Afghanistan chased down the target in 19.1 overs, securing their second consecutive win in the group stage.
To qualify for the semi-finals, Bangladesh must win their final group-stage match against Sri Lanka, who also have 2 points. Afghanistan, with two consecutive victories, remain at the top of the group.
Earlier in the tournament, Bangladesh had begun their campaign with a comfortable win over Hong Kong. However, today's defeat means that their semi-final hopes rest on the outcome of their final match against Sri Lanka.
