Afghanistan outplay Pakistan to annex U-19 Asia Cup title

KUALA LUMPUR: Afghanistan thrashed Pakistan in the final of the Under-19 Asia Cup to register a historic triumph and lift the title at the Kinrara Academy Oval in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday. Chasing 248, Pakistan were trounced by 185 runs as they folded for 63.
Pakistan just couldn’t recover from the early punches Mujeeb Zadran landed. The pacer nipped out the openers - Mohammad Arif (4) and Omair Yousuf (0) - inside the fourth over to leave Pakistan wobbling 11 for 2. Things just went pear shaped for them from there on 32 for 4.
Mohammad Taha hung around for 38 deliveries, scoring 19, but failed to find partners to bat around him. Qais Ahmad ended Taha’s resistance and with a lower order failing to come to terms with the constant pressure, there was no way Pakistan could have found a way out. It all came crashing down for them as they could manage playing out just 22.1 overs. Interestingly, Afghanistan had restricted Pakistan to 57 all out in the league match for both teams in the tournament.
The platform for the bowlers, however, was set by the century from Ikram Ali Khil. They got off to a cautious start with the openers scoring 61 in the first 18 overs. Rahmanullah Gurbaz made 40 while his partner Ibrahim Zadran made 36. It was crucial for Khil to carry on as Afghanistan suffered a late wobble.
Khil scored 69 for the third wicket with Darwish Rasool, who contributed just 18. It was Khil’s innings that lifted the side to a fighting total before the bowlers landed the historic title.Brief scores: Afghanistan 248/7 in 50 overs (Ikram Ali Khil 107; Muhammad Musa 3-46) beat Pakistan 63 in 22.1 overs (Mujeeb Zadran 5-13) by 185 runs.