Bangladesh A showcases dominance, defeating Oman A by eight wickets in an Emerging Asia Cup match at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Saturday.

The victory revitalizes the hopes of the Saif Hassan-led side to advance to the semifinals, following their initial loss against hosts Sri Lanka on Thursday.

Bangladesh A took control of the game right from winning the toss, stifling Oman’s run-scoring in the early overs. It took nine overs for Oman to reach double digits, losing two wickets in the process, including skipper Aqib Ilyas for a duck.

While Oman’s cautious approach allowed them to crawl to 99 for the loss of four wickets by the 35th over, Mahmudul Hasan Joy’s dismissal of Shoaib Khan (23) triggered a collapse. Eventually, Oman’s innings crumbled, finishing at a meager 126 all out in 46 overs. Tanzim Hasan Sakib, the paceman, stood out as the top performer with figures of 4-18, cleaning up the tail.

In response, Bangladesh A’s in-form batsman Tanzid Hasan Tamim displayed his prowess, smashing two sixes and 11 boundaries in his 49-ball 68. This marked his second half-century in consecutive games in the tournament. Opening partner Mohammad Naim contributed a brisk 47 off 42 deliveries. Bangladesh A comfortably chased down the target in just 16.3 overs, securing the victory without breaking a sweat.

Pakistan Shaheens have appointed wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Haris as the captain for the upcoming ACC Men’s Emerging Asia Cup 2023. The tournament is set to take place in Sri Lanka from July 14 to July 23. The team will gather at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore after the Eid Al Adha holidays for a week-long training camp before flying to Colombo on July 12.

As the defending champions, Shaheens have been placed in Group A alongside India A, Nepal, and Sri Lanka A. Group B comprises Afghanistan A, Bangladesh A, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals, followed by the final.

Shaheens will begin their campaign against Nepal on July 14, followed by matches against India A on July 16 and Sri Lanka A on July 18.

Leading the team at the age of 22, Mohammad Haris has previously represented Pakistan in five ODIs and nine T20Is. This will be his first time captaining the Shaheens. Other notable international players in the squad include Arshad Iqbal, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shahnawaz Dahani, and Tayyab Tahir.

The complete squad is as follows:

Mohammad Haris (captain, wicketkeeper) (Peshawar), Omair Bin Yousuf (vice-captain) (Karachi), Amad Butt (Sialkot), Arshad Iqbal (Swabi), Haseebullah (Quetta), Kamran Ghulam (Peshawar), Mehran Mumtaz (Rawalpindi), Mubasir Khan (Islamabad), Mohammad Wasim Jr (North Waziristan), Qasim Akram (Lahore), Sahibzada Farhan (Charsadda), Saim Ayub (Karachi), Shahnawaz Dahani (Larkana), Sufiyan Muqeem (AJK), and Tayyab Tahir (Gujrat).

Non-traveling reserves: Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Junaid, and Rohail Nazir.

Pakistan’s fixtures in the ACC Men’s Emerging Asia Cup:

Group A:

• vs Nepal on July 14
• vs India A on July 16
• vs Sri Lanka A on July 18