Soumya sends Bangladesh Emerging Team to final

An all-round performance from Soumya Sarkar helped Bangladesh beat Afghanistan in the second semifinal of the Asian Cricket Council Emerging Teams Cup in Dhaka on Thursday.

The hosts will now play archrivals Pakistan in Saturday's final.

Soumya first grabbed three wickets to help the hosts restrict the Afghans to 228 for 9 in the stipulated 50 overs and then made 61 off 59 balls in the successful chase.

Winning the toss, Najmul Hossain Shanto invited Afghanistan to bat first and his bowlers left Afghanistan with a nightmare start. They were down to 36 for 4 before Darwish Rasooli's century brought back into the game.

The Right-hand batsman slammed seven fours and as many sixes in his 114-run innings, which came in 128 balls.

Waheedullah Shafaq and Tariq Stanikzai contributed 34 and 33 respectively.

Hasan Mahmud also grabbed three wickets while Tanvir Islam claimed two.

Chasing 229, Bangladesh eased to victory thanks to a 107-run partnership between Soumya and Shanto followed by an unbeaten 75-run stand between Yasir Ali and Afif Hossain.

Shanto made 59 in 68 balls while Afif added 45 in just 36 deliveries. Yasir scored 38.

Soumya was adjudged the man-of-the-match.