Bangladesh Under-23 side qualified to the semifinal of the Asian Cricket Council Emerging Teams Cup as they beat Pakistan under-23 by 84 runs in their final Group B match at the National Stadium of Karachi on Sunday.
Bangladeshi batsmen made a combined effort to post 309-5 after winning the toss and their bowlers completed the job by bundling out the hosts for 225 runs in 46.5 overs.
Bangladesh made a horrible start in the tournament as they lost to the UAE by 97 runs in the first match but kept their chances alive by beating Hong Kong in the second match by 28 runs.
Mosaddek Hossain, who scored a century against Hong Kong, kept his rich vein of form as he was the top scorer with an unbeaten 85-run knock that gave him the man-of-the-match award.
Clinical with the bat and ball!
— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) December 9, 2018
Bangladesh make it 2 wins out of 3 to qualify for the semi-finals of the #ETAC2018 along with Pakistan! #BANvPAK pic.twitter.com/DWicyYLtZG
Bangladesh openers Zakir Hossain and Mizanur Rahman made a cautious start by forming a 46-run opening stand before Zakir and Nazmul Hossain Shanto added 98 runs to lay a strong foundation.
Zakir got out for 69 and Shanto soon followed him with 49 but Mosaddek utilized the platform well and took the score past 300 with his 74-ball innings that had three fours and four sixes.
Mosaddek made the only century partnership of the innings with Yasir Ali, who made 56 off just 46-balls, as the duo added 126 runs in fifth wicket to set a big target for the hosts.
Pakistan were soon reduced to 23-2 in the sixth over but opener Zeeshan Malik (47) and skipper Mohammad Rizwan added 88 runs to keep the chase on track.
But Shoriul Alam, who took a pounding conceding 44 off just four overs, broke the stand and the hosts started to collapse.
Bangladesh spinner Nayeem Hasan, who made an impressive Test debut last month, along with Mosaddek and Afif Hossain got the next four wickets quickly to make the score 142-7 in 31st over and took control of the game.
Nayem finished with the best figures among Bangladeshis with a return of 3-36 while paceman Shafiul Islam and spinner Mosaddek got two wickets apiece.
But Kushdil Shah made a swashbuckling 61 off just 58 balls that not only reduced the defeat margin but also kept Pakistan over Bangladesh in the points table thanks to a better run rate.
If the UAE could beat Hong Kong in the other match then net run rate would come into the equation with three teams ending on four points but rain abandoned the match with Hong Kong on 87-4. That saw Bangladesh end with the second spot in the group and they will now face the winner of the Group A match between India and Sri Lanka at Colombo on Thursday.
EMERGING CUP
Pakistan 225 in 46.5 overs (Khushdil 61, Nayeem 3/36) lost to Bangladesh 309/5 (Mosaddek 85*, Zakir 69) by 84 runs
GROUP B
Teams M W L P NRR
Pakistan 3 2 1 4 1.389
Bangladesh 3 2 1 4 0.1
UAE 3 1 1 3 0.449
Hong Kong 3 0 2 1 -2.53
