Saifuddin five-for helps Bangladesh clinch series

Medium-pacer Mohammad Saifuddin's five-wicket burst helped Bangladesh Under-19s clinch the seven-match youth ODI series against South Africa Under-19s at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong. The eight-run win in the fifth match of the series gave Bangladesh an unassailable 4-1 lead, with two matches remaining.

Saifuddin was brought into the game in the 40th over with the visitors needing 66 runs off 66 balls with seven wickets in hand. Saifuddin took two wickets in his first two overs before creating mayhem in his fourth - the 48th over. He took three wickets in four balls, removing South Africa captain Sibonelo Makhanya, Dayyan Galiem and Lesego Senokwane.

A score of 193 for 3 suddenly turned to 231 for 8, leaving South Africa with only two overs to score the remaining 27 runs. Nihaduzzaman then gave away 13 runs, which included three wides in the 49th over. Saifuddin bowled two no-balls in the final over but the last three deliveries were dots, and the visitors eventually fell short by eight runs.

Wicketkeeper Rivaldo Moonsamy (63), Wiaan Mulder (50) and Galiem (60) struck fifties in the visitors' chase. Moonsamy and Mulder added 108 runs for the second wicket while Tony de Zorzi and Galiem adding 66 runs for the fourth wicket. Apart from Saifuddin's five wickets, Mehedi Hasan, Saleh Ahmed and Nazmul Hossain Shanto took one each.

After opting to bat, Saif Hassan gave the home side an early boost with his 30-ball 33, which contained seven boundaries. After Hassan was trapped leg-before by Makhanya in the ninth over, Pinak Ghosh and captain Shanto added 45 more runs for the second wicket.

Pinak then added another 90 runs for the third wicket with Mehedi, with both batsmen scoring fifties. Pinak top-scored with 76 off 116 balls with four fours and two sixes while Mehedi made 63 off 73 balls with six fours. Shafiul Hayat struck three fours and a six in his 24-ball 27, helping Bangladesh to 257 for 9 in 50 overs.

The visitors were kept in the hunt by pace bowler Ziyaad Abrahams' superb bowling performance, as he finished with 6 for 58 in nine overs. He became the third South African to take a six-wicket haul in Youth ODIs after Wayne Parnell (2008, against Bangladesh) and Kagiso Rabada (2014, against Australia).