Story by Anashe Murombedzi
ZIMBABWE’s Under-19 cricket team, the Young Chevrons, brought their ICC Under-19 World Cup campaign to a disappointing close on Saturday after suffering a 74-run defeat to Bangladesh in their final Super Six match at Harare Sports Club.
The loss sealed Zimbabwe’s first-ever winless outing at an Under-19 World Cup, compounding the disappointment of a tournament played on home soil.
Bangladesh set a challenging target after a solid batting performance led by captain Azizul Hakim Tamim, who top-scored with 58.
The Young Chevrons’ bowlers struggled to contain the Young Tigers’ batters, who accelerated in the final ten overs to post 253 for 9.
Zimbabwe’s response was underwhelming, with no batter showing the resilience required to steer the hosts to victory in front of their home crowd.
Captain Simbarashe Mudzengerere top-scored with 70, but it was not enough to bring Zimbabwe close to the target.
Iqbal Hossain claimed four wickets for Bangladesh, as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 179.
The defeat caps off a painful and historic tournament for Zimbabwe, who finish an ICC Under-19 World Cup winless for the first time ever, a bitter outcome made heavier by the fact that the competition was being hosted at home.
The Young Chevrons failed to register a single victory across both the group stages and Super Six, following a 204-run loss to India and back-to-back defeats to England and Pakistan in the group phase.
A lack of firepower and consistency with both bat and ball has been exposed, forcing serious reflection as Zimbabwe reassess their junior cricket structures after a tournament that promised much but delivered heartbreak.
Meanwhile, the Super Six concludes with a clash between India and Pakistan, a crucial match to determine the final semi-final slot.
