DHAKA, March 4: Test spinner Enamul Haque Junior bowled Bangladesh to an incredible eight-run victory over Australia in the ICC Under-19 World Cup Plate Championship final on Thursday.
Australia, who surprisingly failed to defend their Super League title after being ousted at the preliminary round stage, were all out for 249 in 49.3 overs with slow left-armer Enamul claiming five for 31.
Electing to bat first after winning the toss, Bangladesh's openers Nafis Iqbal and Naeem Islam laid the foundation for a sound total with a partnership of 124 in 25 overs.
Nafis hit seven fours and one six to score 59 off 80 balls, while Naeem top-scored with 66. His 100-ball knock included six boundaries. Aftab Ahmed maintained the tempo a 58-ball 57 with the help of four fours and two sixes.
Bangladesh reached 257 for nine in 50 overs. Australia looked dead and buried at 108 for five in the 28th over as no side in the tournament had successfully chased 250 or more.
But Ahillen Beadle and Stephen O'Keefe rallied their side with both crossing fifty to tilt the balance in Australia's favour. But having added 125 for the sixth wicket, but were run out within two runs of each other.
Beadle made 54 at run-a-ball with six boundaries. O'Keefe contributed 65 off 66 deliveries, hitting five fours as Australia plunged from 233 for five to 235 for eight.
With 23 needed from 15 balls, Enamul, who made his Test debut against England last year, held his nerve to wrap a sensational victory.
Scoreboard
BANGLADESH:
Nafis Iqbal c and b O'Keefe 59
Naeem Islam c Crosthwaite b Paine 66
Aftab Ahmed st Crosthwaite b Beadle 57
Nazimuddin b Beadle 18
Dhiman Ghosh c Beadle b Henriques 6
Abul Bashar run out 5
Nadif Chowdhury b Henriques 11
Ashiqur Rahman run out 8
Nazmul Hossain c sub b Mangan 2
Enamul Haque Jr not out 3
Shahadat Hossain not out 1
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-3, W-15, NB-2) 21
TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 257
FALL OF WKTS: 1-124, 2-152, 3-204, 4-215, 5-225, 6-229, 7-247, 8-252, 9-253.
BOWLING: Coyte 5-0-24-0 (4w); Putland 6-0-24-0 (1w); Mangan 6-0-39-1; Henriques 10-0-47-2 (2w); O'Keefe 10-0-55-1 (1nb); Paine 8-0-38-1 (1nb, 1w); Beadle 5-0-26-2 (1w).
AUSTRALIA:
T.P. Doropoulos b Shahadat 5
K.J. Skewes b Enamul 32
M.M. Harrison run out 29
M. Henriques b Enamul 7
A.J. Crosthwaite c Ghosh b Enamul 20
A.R. Beadle run out 54
S.N.J. O'Keefe run out 65
S.J. Coyte run out 0
T.D. Paine c Ashiqur b Enamul 11
J.P. Mangan not out 1
G.D. Putland st Ghosh b Enamul 2
EXTRAS (B-2, LB-3, W-17, NB-1) 23
TOTAL (all out, 49.3 overs) 249
FALL OF WKTS: 1-19, 2-63, 3-73, 4-103, 5-108, 6-223, 7-235, 8-235, 9-247.
BOWLING: Nazmul Hossain 4.4-0-24-0 (1w); Shahadat Hossain 10-1-47-1 (1nb, 6w); Aftab Ahmed 0.2-0-4-0; Abul Bashar 10-2-35-0; Enamul Haque Jr 9.3-1-31-5; Nadif Chowdhury 10-0-56-0 (6w); Naeem Islam 5-0-47-0 (1w).
RESULT: Bangladesh won by eight runs.
UMPIRES: B. Doctrove (West Indies) and I.L. Howell (South Africa).
MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Mahanama (Sri Lanka).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Enamul Haque Jr.
PLAYER-Of-THE-TOURNAMENT: Shikhar Dhawan (India).
SUPER LEAGUE FINAL: Pakistan v West Indies at Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka (D/N) on Friday. -Agencies
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