Dubai: Following the UAE’s spirited showing against the formidable Sri Lanka Under-23 team in the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Emerging Cup on Tuesday, their next match against the Bangladesh Under-23 team promises to be a keen contest.
A victory over Bangladesh, who had lost to Sri Lanka by 62 runs, can clinch the UAE a place in the semi-final. The top two finishers from each group go through to the semi-finals. The UAE had beaten Singapore by nine wickets on Monday and play their last group match against Bangladesh on Thursday.
Speaking to Gulf News from Singapore, UAE skipper Ahmad Raza said: “We have played good cricket so far and we are taking a lot of positives from our defeat to Sri Lanka into our crucial match against Bangladesh.”
Mazhar Khan, the administrator of ECB, who is in Singapore, said: “It was a well-fought game against Sri Lanka and it looked as if the match was in UAE’s grasp till the 40 over. Full marks to Sri Lankan fast bowlers who bowled well in the death overs.”
This is the first tournament being organised by the ACC involving Under-23 players from Test-playing nations. The competition is expected to be hugely beneficial for rising stars from Test nations and associate member countries like Nepal, Afghanistan and Singapore.
In the second match on Tuesday, the India Under-23 team defeated Nepal by 84 runs. Nepali batsman Sagar Pun hit an unbeaten 52 chasing India’s total of 268 for 5. Nepal were restricted to 184 for 8 with pace bowler Sandeep Warrier bagging two wickets for just seven runs from his four overs. Off spinner Ankit Bawne bagged three wickets.
