DHAKA, Sept 15, 2019 (BSS) – Bangladesh Under-19 team returned home on
Sunday after their heartbreaking five-run loss to India in the Asian Cricket
Council (ACC) Under-19 Asia Cup final, a loss that the team described as
shameful because of bowing down to psychological pressure.
The Junior Tigers seemed to break the jinx of losing the knock-out matches
against India when the bowlers skittled the mighty neighbours out for just
106 in 32.4 overs.
Standing on the brink of losing the final, Indian youths fought back in
their A game, led by left-arm spinner Atharva Ankolekar who snared 5-28 as
Bangladesh U19 was shot out for 101 in 33 overs.
Bangladesh Under-19 lost to India in the recently concluded tri-nation
final as well in England where the young Tigers reached the final at the
expense of the host.
”We cannot describe this loss. We always lose the winning matches against
India- it is happening regularly now. This is a matter of shame,” Shamim
Patwari said here on Sunday at the BCB academy premises.
“It might be a psychological barrier, maybe it works in our brain when we
take on India in the final,” he said.
The narrow victory gave India the record seventh title of Under-19 Asia
Cup, arranged by Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Ever since the Under-19 Asia
Cup was launched in 1989, India has reached all but one final and so good
their record is that they have never lost a final, ACC website said.
The final in 2012 was a tie with India and Pakistan being declared joint-
champions while Afghanistan won the 2017 title, beating Pakistan.
Patwari added that losing the game despite brilliant performance of their
bowling unit was even more disappointing as he believes they just wasted
their opportunity to seal a win in the final.
”We thought we could do something well, finish the match well. But that
did not happen in the end. We could not execute our game plan,” said
Patwari.
”It did not happen, I tried. Bad luck that I could not contribute for the
team with bat,” he said.
“Our bowler bowled really well. We were good in everywhere. Everything was
good,” he added.
Patwari also said that the some of the umpire’s decision did not go their
way, indicating the two leg-before wicket decisions that had ruined their
chances in the final.
“You have seen it. I hope you understood it better than us. Why it (wrong
decision) happens with us. Every time when we play against India, they make
one or two wrong decision, which ends our matches,” he concluded.