Pakistan U-19 cruised to a comfortable 9-wicket victory over Bangladesh U-19 in the first one-day of the five-match series in Chattogram.
Bangladesh lost the toss and batted first but struggled to get going against a disciplined Pakistani bowling attack, eventually finishing on 165/9 in their 50 overs.
Pakistan then made short work of the chase, reaching their target of 166 with 76 balls to spare, losing just one wicket in the process. Azan Awais and Shahzaib Khan were the stars of the show for the Pakistanis, putting on an unbeaten 148-run partnership to lead their side to victory.
Earlier, Bangladesh got off to a shaky start, losing opener Ashiqur Rahman Shibli for just 2 runs in the 5th over. Sharear Sakib and skipper Ahrar Amin also struggled to get going, falling for 4 and 2 runs respectively.
Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby then led a fightback for Bangladesh, scoring a vital 70 runs off 100 balls, including 8 fours and 2 sixes. He received some support from Parvez Rahman Jibon (19) and Wasi Siddiquee (15), but their efforts were not enough to push Bangladesh to a competitive total.
Pakistan's bowlers were exceptional throughout the innings, with Amir Hassan leading the way with 5 wickets for just 24 runs in his 10 overs. Muhammad Ismail and Aimal Khan also chipped in with a wicket apiece, while Ali Asfand and Obaid Shahid were economical, conceding just 11 and 10 runs respectively in their spells.
In reply, Pakistan got off to a flying start, with openers Shahzaib Khan and Azan Awais putting on an impressive 148-run partnership. Khan was eventually dismissed for 83 runs off 116 balls, but Awais remained unbeaten on 69 runs off 100 balls, including 6 fours and a six.
Pakistan's victory was never in doubt after such a strong start, and they eventually reached their target of 166 runs in just 37.2 overs, losing just one wicket in the process. Bangladesh's bowlers struggled to make an impact, with Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby claiming the only wicket of the innings.
The next match of the series will be played at the same venue on May 8th, while the last three matches will be played in Rajshahi on 11th, 13th and 15th. After the one-day series, both the team will play the only T20 at the same venue on May 17th.