Bangladesh U-19 look set to beat USA U-19 and win their second match of the Under-19 World Cup 2024 in Bloemfontein on Friday. The match is scheduled to start at 2:00 pm Bangladesh time.
Young Tigers won their last match against Ireland U-19 by six wickets after losing to India in their tournament opener.
Both teams find themselves in Group A, and their current standings reflect varied fortunes. United States of America Under-19 has played 1 match, unfortunately losing it. On the other hand, Bangladesh Under-19 has played 2 matches and secured a victory in one. In their recent outing against Ireland Under-19, United States of America Under-19 faced a setback, losing by 7 wickets. Posting a total of 105 runs for the loss of 10 wickets in 40 overs, the American U19 side struggled to contain Ireland's chase, who successfully reached the target in 23 overs for the loss of 3 wickets. Key performers for the USA-U19 included Parth Patel with 13 runs, Khush Bhalala with 22 runs, and Arya Garg, who took 2 wickets.
Bangladesh Under-19, in their encounter against Ireland Under-19, displayed a more dominant performance, securing a 6-wicket victory. Ireland Under-19 managed to score 235 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in 50 overs, but Bangladesh U19 efficiently chased down the target in 47 overs for the loss of 4 wickets. Md Shihab James led the batting with 55 runs, while Ahrar Amin contributed 45 runs. Maruf Mridha and Sheikh Paevez Jibon were pivotal in the bowling department, each claiming 2 wickets.
In the batting department, the side will be relying on the likes of Chowdhury Md Rizwan, Ashiqur Rahman Shibli, Mohammad Shihab James, Ahrar Amin and Ariful Islam to deliver the bulk of the runs.
In the previous match, Mohammad Shihab James scored 55 runs off 54 balls with the help of five boundaries.Ahrar Amin scored 45 not out off 63 balls with the help of three fours and one six, whereas wicket-keeper Ashiqur Rahman Shibli chipped in with 44 runs off 60 balls with the help of three boundaries.
Adil Bin Siddik scored 36 runs off 63 balls with the help of three boundaries, whereas Chowdhury Md Rizwan chipped in with 21 runs off 29 balls.
In the bowling department, the side will be relying on the likes of Maruf Mridha, Sheikh Paevez Jibon, Md Rafi Uzzaman Rafi, Rohanat Doullah Borson and Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby to deliver timely breakthroughs.
In the previous match, Sheikh Paevez Jibon and Maruf Mridha bowled well for Bangladesh U-19 and claimed two wickets apiece.
The playing surface at Mangaung Oval has shown a commendable equilibrium, providing assistance to both batting and bowling efforts. Teams choosing to bowl first have enjoyed slightly more success, indicating possible early-game support for bowlers. While attaining competitive scores in batting is achievable, chasing targets on this pitch presents a significant challenge.