Bangladesh A’s Asia Cup hopefuls ended their Top End T20 campaign on a flat note, with the team losing to Adelaide Strikers Academy by seven wickets in Darwin on Saturday.

The side, led by Nurul Hasan Sohan, went into the game needing not just a win but a big one to keep their semifinal chances alive on net run rate.

Instead, they ended up well beaten. Despite posting 175 for 4 batting first, the bowlers had no answers as Adelaide raced to the target with 11 balls to spare.

Young opener Jisan Alam continued his good run with a composed half-century. He made 50 off 38 balls, holding one end together while partners struggled for momentum.

Mohammad Naim scratched his way to 15 from 17 balls before falling, and Saif Hassan managed the same score from 19 deliveries.

It was only in the last five overs that Bangladesh looked threatening with the bat. Afif Hossain played the sort of knock he is known for, smashing an unbeaten 49 off 23 balls. Yasir Ali added a quick 25 off 15, the pair putting on 70 runs in the final stretch to lift the total to a competitive figure.

But it never looked enough once Adelaide’s Mackenzie Harvey got going. The left-hander dominated from the start, punishing anything loose, and brought up his century in just 53 balls. He finished unbeaten on 102, while Jack Winter made 35 and Harry Mennati chipped in with a brisk 25 not out.

Saif Hassan took two wickets, but the rest of the attack looked blunt.

Bangladesh A had won two of their first five games, keeping themselves in the mix, but the back-to-back defeats — and the manner of Saturday’s collapse in the field — meant their campaign ended in the group stage.