Dubai: Bangladesh Under-19 team confirmed their place in the semifinal of the Asia Cup after Sri Lanka edged past Afghanistan by two wickets in a tight contest at ICC Academy in Dubai, UAE today. The outcome of the match also saw Sri Lanka's young cricketers advance to the last four stage in the regional tournament.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the last match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on Wednesday will determine the group champions. Bangladesh has demonstrated a strong performance in the tournament, having earlier defeated Afghanistan by three wickets and Nepal by seven wickets. Sri Lanka also showcased their prowess by crushing Nepal by eight wickets in their opening match, alongside their recent two-wicket triumph over Afghanistan.
Afghanistan now faces disappointment following narrow defeats in two consecutive matches, which eliminated their chances of progressing to the last four. In the match against Sri Lanka, Afghanistan set a target of 235 after being all out in 50 overs. Sri Lanka successfully chased down the total with four balls to spare, reaching 238-8. The victory was largely thanks to the efforts of opener Viran Chamuditha, who scored 62, and Chamika Heenatigala, who remained unbeaten on 51.