Wilkins showers praise on BD U19s, backs to beat NZ
Ruffin RemadCorrespondent
Posted - 2020-01-31T15:52:49+06:00
Updated - 2020-01-31T15:52:49+06:00
Cricket commentator Alan Wilkins has been greatly impressed by Bangladesh U19 team's performance at the ongoing ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in South Africa.
Bangladesh U19s defeated hosts South Africa U19s in the third quarter-final by 104 runs in Potchefstroom to bag their place in the semi-finals. This will be their second-ever appearance in the U19 World Cup semis.
Bangladesh will face
U19s in the second semi-final at the same venue on the 6th February. Wilkins expressed his excitement on Youth Tigers after the end of Bangladesh-South Africa match. He confidently put his bet on Bangladesh side winning over the Kiwis.
"This Bangladesh team is a very good side. I can see them going all the way to the final," Wilkins said during the broadcasting. "New Zealand won't beat Bangladesh. Sorry to the New Zealand fans, but this team is too good. They got too much variety, too much backup."
"If it's not Rakibul (Hasan), t
hen it's someone else...it's someone else. And they got some seam bowlers. And their batting, the way they bat, it is so accomplished. I don't think New Zealand have enough to beat this Bangladesh side."
Bangladesh have won an away series in New Zealand by 4-1 last year. Unarguably, both sides will go in an intense clash for final berths.
New Zealand qualified for the quarters with 3 points from the group stage. They survived
scare in the second quarter-final where an unbroken 86-run stand for the ninth-wicket helped them go over the line in the last over.