Afghanistan U19 Crush Bangladesh by 113 Runs as Rahimi's 83 and Bowling Surge Steal the Show

Afghanistan U19 defeated Bangladesh U19 by 113 runs in the ACC U19 Men's Asia Cup 2026 at Al Amerat Cricket Ground, Oman. Afghanistan won the toss, elected to bat, and were bowled out for 231 in 49 overs. Bangladesh collapsed to 118 all out in 25.5 overs. Shah Faisal Rahimi was named Player of the Match for his 83 off 97 balls. Afghanistan's Noor Ali Niazai, Amir Hamza and Sami Mubarez each took three wickets, while captain Sohail Khan took one. For Bangladesh, Tafiul Alam Tamim stood out with 4/41 in 10 overs, with Anik taking two wickets and three others claiming one each. The match was decided by Afghanistan's bowling depth and Bangladesh's batting collapse rather than a true 113-run gap in quality. Afghanistan's own batting remains a concern after being bowled out in 49 overs, while Bangladesh's top-order fragility is a major red flag. Rahimi's innings was a composed anchor knock, with 8 fours and 1 six, and a strike rate of about 85.6. The result gives Afghanistan early momentum, but one match is not enough to establish a trend. The tournament is a development event and a key talent pipeline for senior teams. No rule or governance controversy was reported, but the tournament name, date and scorecard should be independently verified against official ACC and ESPNcricinfo sources before citation.