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WEEKLY
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| Pakistan stumble before reaching final |
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Thursday, April 24, 2008
BASSETERRE, St Kitts: Pakistan suffered a few nervous moments before beating Bangladesh by two wickets and sealing their spot in the final of the CLICO International Under-15 Cricket Championship here at St Mary’s Park in Cayon on Tuesday.
Set a paltry target after Bangladesh were dismissed for 131 off 47.2 overs, Pakistan stumbled and stuttered before reaching 132 for eight in 44.1 overs.
Mohammad Naeem top-scored with 52 and shared an impressive second-wicket stand of 80 with Ahsan Ali who made 44, to put Pakistan on course for victory at 111 for one. But captain Nazeef Ahmed grabbed five for 23 to wreck the middle order and send seven wickets tumbling for nine runs.
Faizan Khan, with six not out, and Waqar Khan, seven not out, steered Pakistan to safety. Asif Hasan supported with two for 15.
A fifth-wicket stand of 83 between Ratnak Saha (46) and Rakin Ahmed (28) spared Bangladesh blushes after a dismal start.
They had slipped to 20 for four — with pace bowler Kumail Abbas (3-34) doing most of the damage — before Saha and Ahmed came to the rescue. After they were separated, the young Tigers lost their last five wickets for 28 runs. Paceman Waqar Khan (2-8) and slow left-armer Zafar Gohar (2-23) chipped in to add weight to the bowling attack.
Pakistan will now meet hosts West Indies in the final of the tournament’s knockout stage, here at the Warner Park in Basseterre on Thursday (today).
The league stage of the championship begins from Saturday, where Pakistan have been placed in Group 2 with three other teams — The Netherlands, Americas Development XI and Malaysia. All these matches will be played at the National Stadium in Providence, Guyana, and at the Boaurda Oval in Georgetown.
In Group 1 are the four other teams, hosts West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland and Kenya. All matches will be played at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad, and the National Cricket Centre in Couva.
The semifinals have been arranged at Progress Park and La Sagesse Park in Grenada on May 1. The two play-offs for fifth to eighth places will be played at Shaw Park in Tobago on May 1 and 2 and the third place play-of at Queen’s Park Oval on May 3.
The final also will be played at Queen’s Park Oval on May 4, with the closing ceremony to be held later in the day at Pier 1 in Chaguaramas, Trinidad.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
