Joy, Shamim hand Bangladesh Emerging team thrilling win

While we all focus on the upcoming series between the national team and New Zealand. The Bangladesh Emerging team consisting of mostly fringe players and the recently crowned junior world champions are amidst a series with the Ireland A team, the Ireland wolves.

Bangladesh Emerging chased down a target of 264 set by the visitors with four wickets and two deliveries to spare.
While the whole series hanging in the balance. This being due to a positive covid result to Irish All rounder Ruhan Pretorious. The match was called off with the news of the positive test coming during the first innings of the opening One Day. All players from both sides were tested and came back negative showing that maybe it was all a false alarm. The announcement of the 2nd ODI being held was given yesterday at around 10 pm. 
On the batting track of the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, the Bangladesh captain Saif Hassan chose to field. The XIs were mostly unchanged with the shock retention of the recently "covid-positive" Pretorius in the Ireland XI.
The Ireland wolves started steadily and almost put up a 100 run partnership between the openers. With Pretorius and James McCollum making it hard to make breakthroughs. Shofiqul however struck in the 21st over, with McCollum nicking it to Akbar Ali giving the hosts their first wicket. The next partnership was even bigger than the last however with Pretorius going very close to his century. His partner Doheny chipping in with a steady 37 off 39. This pair was also broken in the 38th with Doheny and Pretorius both falling to Rakibul. Pretorius having scored a few respectable 90. After that none of the Irish batsmen were able to replicate the partnership set by the top order however with a final burst by Getkate and Delany pushing the title to a fighting score of 263 at the end of 50 overs. With Rokibul being the most economical and clinical of the lot with tidy figures of 2/39 after his quota of 10 overs.
The young emerging side had a big task at their hands. The opening pair of captain Saif and under 19 starlet Tanzid Tamim giving the side a steady side. The partnership was short-lived however with Tanzid falling at the end of the 8th over to Irelands batting top scorer Pretorius. Out walked U19 starlet, Mahmudul Hasan Joy. He and captain Saif put up runs at a slower rate but steadied the ship after the early wicket of Tanzid. The captain fell in the 18th over however nicking the ball off Getkates' bowling to Irish keeper Rock. At no.4 came Yasir Ali, another player who is on the fringes of the national team. He and Joy picked up the pace with the total crossing 150 by the 32nd over however Yasir failed to turn his steady knock into a big knock falling to a catch off Whites bowling at the measly score of 31 from 34. During this time Joy had reached 50. One of his bigger knocks since that 100 in the u19 WC semi-final. He had been the pick of the top-order batsman. He too fell soon however in the 36th over returning for a very respectable 66 off 95. The match seemed to become progressively harder for the hosts, however. The short partnership of Towhid Hridoy and Shamim being broken, with new batsman Akbar Ali also falling in the next over. With the required run rate being close to 9 and even crossing 10 by the time the penultimate overcame. Some slog over batting was required by all-rounder Shamim and also his partner Sumon Khan. A slow start to the penultimate over was compensated for with a last-ball maximum turning the match back in the hosts' favour. A first ball 4 in the last ball by Sumon all but sealed the match and a few singles and doubles finished the match off. 
The match ended in a truly exciting manner with the match-turning in the last 2 overs mainly. Shamim Hossain showing maturity beyond his years and handling the pressure to take the team over the line. Earlier in the innings, it was Joy's knock of 66 that helped progress the total, with Shamim finishing the game with a quickfire 53 off 39 and Sumon getting 11 off 9. The emerging team handled the pressure quite well. With the team consisting of a lot of u19 players and other young players, this victory showed by many Bangladesh cricket fan are hopeful of the future if they are nurtured well enough.