Bangladesh delighted the crowd in Dhaka with an eight-run victory over Australia in the Plate Championship final at the Under-19 World Cup.

The hosts totalled 257-9 in their 50 overs thanks to half centuries by Nafis Iqbal (59), Naeem Islam (66) and Aftab Ahmed (57).

Spinner Enamul Haque junior then took 5-31 as Australia were bowled out for 249 in the last over of their innings.

Pakistan play West Indies in Friday's U19 World Cup final.

But for the home fans, their team's win was the highlight of the competition.

It was arguably the greatest day in Bangladesh cricket history since the national team's shock win over Pakistan at the 1999 World Cup in England.

We managed to win the match with some very good fielding and bowling at the death Bangladesh coach Richard McInnes

Iqbal and Islam launched their innings with an opening stand of 124 and Aftab lifted the scoring rate even further by hitting two sixes and four fours in his 58-ball cameo.

The home side reached 204-2 before losing wickets regularly over the final 10 overs as they looked to put the match beyond Australia's reach.

Bangladesh made a good start as well with the ball as Shahadat Hossain bowled Theo Doropoulos for five.

Left-armer Haque picked up three wickets, including Ken Skewes for 32, and Australia could not afford the run out of Mark Harrison, who made 29.

Ahilen Beadle and Stephen O'Keefe revived their chances by putting on 125 for the sixth wicket.

But both were eventually run out - Beadle for 54 and O'Keefe for 65 - and Scott Coyte also departed in similar fashion without scoring.

Haque, who has already played Test cricket for Bangladesh, had the final word when he had last man Gary Putland stumped by Dhiman Ghosh.

"It was a high pressure situation and it could have gone either way and on this occasion we lost the match.