Bangladesh Men’s U-23 cricket team beat Bhutan by a big margin of 10 wickets in their second game of the ongoing 13th South Asian Games (SA Games) in Nepal on Friday, report agencies. Bangladesh thrashed Bhutan thanks to tight bowling and captain Soumya Sarkar’s breezy fifty at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur.
Bangladesh bowlers kept Bhutan in a tight leash, bowling economically to restrict their opponents to 69 for 7 in the T20 match. Medium pacer Manik Khan grabbed two wickets for just 9 runs. Following the exchange, Bangladesh got the required runs in just 6.5 overs with Mohammad Naim and Soumya taking them over the ropes. Naim struck 16 off 13 while Soumya blazed a 28-ball 50 with five fours and three sixes as Bangladesh won by 10 wickets. Bangladesh had started their South Asian Games cricket campaign off to a winning start, defeating Maldives by 109 runs in the first match. Bhutan batted first and scored 69 runs for seven wickets in 20 overs after winning the toss.
Four out of nine Bhutan batsmen scored two-digit runs while four backed to the dressing room just for one-digit scores. Right arm pacer Manik Khan bagged two wickets for Bangladesh conceding nine runs in four overs while Mehedi Hasan Rana, Tanvir Islam, Soumya Sarkar and Minhajul Abedin Afridi bagged one wicket each.
In reply, Bangladesh chased down the target of 70 runs in 6.5 overs with all 10 wickets in hand. Soumya hit unbeaten 50 off 28 deliveries with five fours and three sixes while Mohammad Naim also remained unbeaten for 16 off 13 balls. Bangladesh ended on 74 for none in 6.5 overs.
Earlier, Bangladesh beat the Maldives by 109 runs in their first game of the event. In the last two games, Bangladesh will take on the hosts Nepal and Sri Lanka (U-23) on 7 and 8 December respectively.
