Dhaka: Bangladesh Under-23 cricket team failed to emerge group champion in the ACC Emerging Teams Cup playing out a tie in the 3rd and last Group B match against Pakistan Under-23 at Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium in Cox's Bazar on Thursday. 

Bangladesh U23s will face Group A champions Sri Lanka Under-23s in a semifinal at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) in Chittagong on Saturday (April 1) while Group B champion Pakistan U23s will face Group A runners-up Afghanistan Emerging Team in another semifinal at MA Aziz Stadium also in Chittagong on the same day.

The day night final will be held at ZACS on Monday (April 3).

Pakistan U23s is top of the Group B table by virtue of more run rate, collected five points from three matches with two wins and one tie, while the host Bangladesh placed group runners up with identical results.

Sri Lanka U23s emerged group champion by virtue of more run rate collecting four points from three outings with two wins and one loss while Afghanistan Emerging Team placed runners up with identical results. 

Another two teams of Group B, Nepal and Hong Kong eliminated from the race of the eight team tournament. Nepal won one and lost two matches to collect two points while Hong Kong remained pointless losing all the three battles.

India Under-23s and Malaysia finished their campaign placing 3rd and 4th in the Group-A respectively.

In the day’s match, chasing a target of 234 runs, Bangladesh U23s finished at 233 for 8 in 50 overs to play out the tie as their opponent Pakistan U23s also scored the same 233 for 8 batting first in their 50 overs. 

The match reached the last ball with Bangladesh U23s needing two runs off it and regular pace bowler Mohammad Saifuddin was the batting end to carry the team to winning destination off Ghulam Mudassar’s bowling, but Saifuddin failed to do so taking one run.  

The Young Tigers needed seven runs in the last over with raw bowler Nayeem Hasan at the crease and Saifuddin pairing him in the another end. Pakistan U23s pace bowler Ghulam Mudassar delivered the innings last over and conceded run-a-ball six where Nayeem and Saifuddin took identical three runs each.

Bangladesh U23s collection spurred by two half centurions skipper Mominul Haque and Mohammad Mithun who paired in the 5th wicket for 73 in 16.1 overs.

The worthwhile pair started from 110/4 in 25.3 overs and ended at 183/5 in 41.4 overs as Mominul was bowled out by Hussain Talat after firing 75 off 91 balls, including eight boundaries and one over boundary.

Mithun scored 53 off 68 balls, including four boundaries and one six, to stay until the team reached a mark at 201/7 in 47 overs and was caught by Bilal Asif off Zafar Gohar bowling, keeping the team in need of 33 runs off 18 balls with three wickets in hand for win.

Zafar Gohar, Hussain Talat and Usama Mir captured two wickets each for 40 41 and 58 runs respectively in 10, 8 and 8 overs. Ghulam Mudassar and Bilal Asif took one wicket each conceding 30 runs apiece.

Batting first after winning the toss, Pakistan U23s collected their score riding on two half centuries of 63 and unbeaten 57 runs by Haris Sohail and Hussain Talat.

Hammad Azam scored 30 runs while Zafar Gohar (22), opener Imam-ul-Haq(13), skipper Mohammad Rizwan (12) and Bilal Asif (11) were the other double digit scorers for the visiting side.   

Pace bowler Saifuddin captured three wickets for 54 runs while Abul Hasan and Nasum Ahmed took two wickets each for 40 and 57 runs respectively. Nayeem Hasan took another one for 30 runs. Each delivered 10 overs.