U-19 WC: Pakistan in quarters after nervy win

WELLINGTON: Pakistan rose to the top of the Group D table with a three-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup here Friday. Pakistan overcame the Sri Lankan challenge to finish with 190 for 7 in 43.3 overs.

The run- rate was never in contention with them being well-ahead through their chase, but losing wickets in clumps certainly was. But Hasan Khan (24*) and Muhammad Musa (23) ensured there was no final hurdle as they remained unbeaten in a 25-run stand to take the side home in a 189-run chase.

Ali Zaryab was brilliant at the top with a patient 94-ball 59 to keep Pakistan in the chase when wickets were falling. Thisaru Rashmika was expensive, going for over 5 an over, but he picked up wickets at crucial junctures to keep Sri Lanka in the game, but the total wasn’t enough for them to defend. With the win, Pakistan have assured themselves of a spot in the Super League stage. Afghanistan, however, are still in with a chance to pip Pakistan for the top spot given that they have another game left in the competition against Ireland. Sri Lanka have been knocked out with just one win in their three games.

Earlier in the match, Suleman Shafqat and Shaheen Afridi shared five wickets as Sri Lanka folded for 188 in the must-win encounter. Jehan Daniel and Ashen Bandara were the only Sri Lanka batsmen to put up a fight scoring 53 and 37 respectively.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 188 (Jehan Daniel 53, Suleman Shafqat 3-29). Pakistan 190/7 (Ali Zaryab 59 Thisaru Rashmika 3-47) by three wickets.

India vs Zimbabwe: Anukul Roy (4 wickets), Arshdeep Singh (2) and Abhishek Sharma (2) starred with the ball, while Shubman Gill and Harvik Desai sparkled with the bat as India assured themselves of the top spot in the Group B table with a facile 10-wicket win over Zimbabwe.

Bowling first, India relied on their left-armers to break the back of Zimbabwe’s batting. Anukul Roy and Abhishek Sharma, left-arm orthodox bowlers, used flight and variation to great effect to keep the batsmen on their toes and picked wickets regularly. Arshdeep, a left arm pacer more reliant on cutters, too bowled with great control to never let Zimbabwe off the hook. Zimbabwe looked in decent touch when their middle order, Milton Shumba and Liam Roche in particular, held the innings together. But once that stand was broken, Zimbabwe slipped from 110 for 3 to 154 all-out. Chasing a sub-par score, India never looked in any trouble. Shubman Gill slammed a 36-ball fifty to ensure India cantered in their chase, while his partner Desai got to a fifty himself later in the day. India and Australia progress to the next stage from Group B. Brief scores: Zimbabwe 154 (Milton Shumba 36, Anukul Roy 4-20). India 155 without loss(Shubman Gill 90*).

Australia vs Papua New Guinea: Nathan McSweeney smashing 156 in his first innings of the Under-19 World Cup, and Jason Ralston’s record-breaking spell of 7 for 15, helped Australia claim a massive 312-run win over Papua New Guinea.

Batting first, Australia rode on the brutal hundred from McSweeney. They lost Max Bryant in the second over for a two-ball duck, but McSweeney and captain Jason Sangha added 253 runs for the second wicket, in under 35 overs, to put the innings back on track.

Brief scores: Australia 370/8 (Nathan McSweeney 156, Jason Sangha 88, James Tau 2-42) beat Papua New Guinea 59 (Jason Ralston 7-15).