Former Bangladesh U-19 cricket team captain Mehedi Hasan Miraz is eagerly hoping for the U-19 side to finish the U-19 World Cup on a high by winning the championship.
Following a dream winning run in the global age-level tournament, the young Tigers have reached the final for the first time in history, setting up a final date with favorite India, the four-time winner, at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom Sunday.
Under the captaincy of Miraz, Bangladesh U-19 reached the last four of the 2016 edition at home.
Miraz and Co lost to the West Indies at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium and eventually finished third after beating Sri Lanka in the third-place playoff.
“I hope we get to finish well. What I liked the most is that this team had all the three departments in sync, which is very important for a team to perform. I hope they can return home as champion. Bangladesh have never won the U-19 World Cup and in fact, this is the first time they are playing the final of the competition. It is a big achievement for the country,” said Miraz to the media Saturday.
A confident @BCBtigers U-19 cricket team will be eager to create history when they take on their Indian counterparts in the grand finale of the U-19 World Cup at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom Sunday.https://t.co/c0cbmO7Slo#BCBTIGERS #BCB #TIGERS #BANGLADESHCRICKET #BANGLADESH
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) February 8, 2020
Till date, Bangladesh have faced India five times in the U-19 World Cup with the latter winning on four occasions and the former emerging victorious once.
The Indians won their first encounter in Moratuwa by 122 runs in 2000 before Bangladesh took the honors in the next encounter, by two wickets in Auckland in 2002.
India won the following two matches between the two sides and heading into the final, have the edge over Bangladesh after winning the U-19 Asia Cup in Colombo recently.
“There have been occasions when we lost to India in close matches, let it be in U-19 or national team. But I strongly hope that [Sunday] will be our day but for that we will need to play good cricket. I believe the team are confident having played well and reaching the final and they are receiving good support for the team management. They should not take pressure, rather play the way they have played so far in the tournament,” said Miraz who is a regular fixture in the Bangladesh national team.
Miraz though is not part of the touring party in Pakistan right now where the Tigers are playing the first of two Test matches in Rawalpindi.
