Bangladesh bowled out for 138 after batting collapse against Pakistan

Bangladesh suffered a major batting collapse against Pakistan in the Under-19 Asia Cup semi-final on Thursday, managing just 138 runs before being bowled out in 31.4 overs. The Young Tigers now face an uphill task of defending the modest total to keep their hopes of reaching the final alive.

Bangladesh struggled to find their rhythm from the outset, losing wickets at regular intervals and failing to build a competitive total. Opener Abdullah Al Muhi top-scored with 50, but received little support from the rest of the batting line-up.

The top order failed to deliver, leaving Bangladesh under pressure early in the innings. Zarif Siam, Kausar Ahmed, Farid Hasan and Ahsan Al Mumin failed to make meaningful contributions. Bangladesh lost five wickets before reaching the 100-run mark, slipping into serious trouble. Ahsan Al Mumin, who scored a century in the previous match, managed just one run on this occasion. Captain Farid Hasan Faisal contributed 17 off 26 balls.

Towards the end, Al Rafi and Rakibul Hossain attempted to steady the innings. Al Rafi scored 20, while Rakibul added 26. Their efforts briefly raised hopes of taking Bangladesh close to 150, but the innings eventually ended at 138.

Rizwanullah was the standout bowler for Pakistan, claiming five wickets, while Mohammad Saim picked up two.

Bangladesh had suffered a heavy defeat against Afghanistan at the start of the tournament but bounced back with victories over Sri Lanka and Malaysia to secure a place in the semi-finals. However, their batting failure in the crucial last-four clash has left the Young Tigers facing a difficult challenge to stay in contention for the title.