MALAYSIA: Afghanistan U19 has thumped Pakistan U19 to their worst ever defeat in youth cricket to claim the U19 Youth Asia Cup.
Pakistan elected to field first, a decision that proved costly for them as Afghan openers started belligerently. Mohammad Musa finally broke through by claiming the wickets of the inform well set Ibrahim Zadran and Rahman Gul.
However, the Afghan wicket keeper and a fiercely talented batsman Ikram Faizi led the Afghan innings with a measured knock. The importance of his innings was augmented by the fact that all the other batsmen could only make a mere 47 runs during their stay at the wicket with Faizi.
Faizi became the first Afghanistan batsman to score a ton in the U19 Asia Cup history, taking his side to a fighting total of 249.
Considering Pakistan got past Bangladesh’s 274 in the semi-final, albeit on DLS method, this total looked achievable on innings break. However, the horrors of Pakistan’s upset defeat in the group game against Afghanistan where they were shot down for 57 was not forgotten.
Pakistani openers started poorly, as has been the case throughout the tournament. Pakistan was tottering at 11/2 with both their openers already in the hutch. However, Mohammad Taha’s sprightly 92 in the semi-final gave the team hope.
However, Pakistan’s batting fell like a pack of cards in front of a fierce Afghan bowling lineup. Only two of Pakistan’s batsmen were able to manage a score in the double figures. Afghanistan off-spinner Mujeeb Zadran took a 5-for to break the back-bone of Pakistan’s batting lineup.
Eventually, Pakistan skittled to a 165-run defeat, their largest in the U-19 Youth Asia Cup history. Faizi was awarded the man of match for his 107 not out. While Mujeeb Zadran bagged the player of the series award.
