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Pakistan Young Guns Rule The
World
A Report
on the U-19 World Cup finals by Aranya Syed from Dhaka
Click
here to view the Scorecard
Pakistan lifted the ICC U/19 World Cup edging out the West Indies by 25 runs in
a nail-biting final at the Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS) on Friday. The
West Indies put on a brave show despite losing wickets at regular intervals,
mostly to run-outs, having been asked to bat under the hostile floodlights after
losing the crucial toss. In an attempt to maintain the tough asking run-rate in
the dying moments, the Caribbeans suffered two successive run-outs that ended
their innings on 205 in 47.1 overs replying to the Pakistan total of 230 for 9.
Despite the fact that no team had previously scored 200 against Pakistan in the
tournament, the West Indies started their chase positively with a 69-run opening
stand between Xavier Marshall and Tishan Maraj. But the innings stuttered as
soon as Pakistan’s spinners came into the attack. Maraj was run-out for 32,
before his opening partner Xavier Marshall heaved at Tariq Mahmood and sent a
massive top-edge spiraling to wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider. L Simmons also
fell cheaply for five, leg-before to a googly from occasional leg-spinner
Jahangir Mirza. After the sudden collapse, skipper Dinesh Ramdin tried hard to
stabilise the innings in partnership with Jonathan Augustus. Another silly
run-out, this time of Augustus, ended their 50-run stand and as soon as Ramdin
was judged lbw on 36, the West Indies were out of the running. Ravi Rampaul (24,
not out), the only player in the side to have international exposure, fought
hard but only saw his team-mates run themselves out hurriedly to hand Pakistan
the trophy.
Earlier, a 97-run partnership between Asif Iqbal and Abdul Qadir for the fifth
wicket-helped Pakistan put up a formidable total. Pakistan coach Aaqib Javed had
gambled bringing in Iqbal, who had not played a single match before final. The
gambit clicked at a very crucial stage as Iqbal scored a team-high 54 runs
batting at number five.
Qadir and Iqbal steadied the innings when the team was in dire straits at one
point after losing the first four wickets for 81. Airy-fairy fielding by the
West Indies helped them to compile the big stand as some lollypop catches were
dropped. The unheralded middle-order batsman was eventually run-out by a direct
hit from Rishi Bachan at extra-cover. Qadir followed him two balls later lofting
a catch to M Matthew after scoring 42. The dismissal brought Haider to the
middle. He scored a timely 23 off 18 balls to help Pakistan past the 200 mark.
Early on, left-arm spinner Bachan prevented a potential onslaught with the
crucial breakthrough with his very first delivery, dislodging Adnan Zaheer with
a beautiful delivery. Pakistan had reached 54 for no loss and looked headed to a
huge total. Adnan was in marauding mood before getting out on 33. Bachan then
trapped skipper Khaled Latif and had Tareq Mahmood stumped to cap his deadly
first spell of six overs, 3 wickets for 15 runs.
Asif
Iqbal was later adjudged man of the final.
Click
here to view the Scorecard
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