Women’s Green Team give boys a run

Bangladesh men's U-15 team finished the ongoing Challenge Cup with a 100 percent winning record after they beat the women's Green Team in the super over during their last league match at BKSP-3 in Savar on Tuesday.

Held to prepare the senior women's team for the upcoming ICC Women's World Cup, the tournament's penultimate match ended in a tie as the women's team, composed of several internationals, could only set a target of five runs in the super over.

In reply, the boys reached the target on the second ball after Bayzid Bostami smashed left-arm spinner Nahida Akter straight at long-on for a six.

The winning side erupt into jubilation after match. Photo: BCB

Earlier, chasing a target of 186 runs, Green Team was in a comfortable position to win the contest after Sharmin Supta (36), Rubya Haider Jhelik (33), Shorna Akter (21) and Nahida Akter (26 not out) all made decent contributions to take their score to 181-7 in 49 overs.

Needing only five runs to win with three wickets in hand in the final over, they lost wickets of Rabeya Khan and Sultana Khatun and could only add four runs, losing the opportunity to beat the U-15 boys team for the first time in the competition.

Left-arm spinner Afridi Tariq was the star of the show as he finished with 3-23, which included exceptional bowling in the last over, while Amit Kumar and Sulaiman Islam took two wickets each.

Earlier, the U-15 boys team, who were reduced to 41-5 in the 19th over after deciding to bat first, were brought back into the contest after Afridi and Afzal Hossain put up a 98-run stand for the sixth wicket.

Afridi made 50 off 83 balls, while Afzal remained not out on 67 off 103 balls, and number eight Pronob Mondol's late contribution of an unbeaten 24 off 18 balls helped them post a decent total of 185-6 in their allotted overs.

Up next, Green Team will face Red Team in the last match of the tournament at the same venue on Thursday.