In a stunning display of cricket prowess, Pakistan U19 crushed Afghanistan U19 by a massive margin of 181 runs in their opening match of the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup. Pakistan’s stellar performance was highlighted by a remarkable century from opening batter Shahzaib Khan, supported by a superb all-round effort from the bowlers, ultimately leading to the comprehensive victory.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Pakistan U19 got off to a solid start with their opening batters navigating the initial overs cautiously. However, the dismissal of Shamyl Hussain and Azan Awais within quick succession raised some concerns. Nevertheless, skipper Saad Baig and Shahzaib Khan stepped up to the challenge, forging a crucial partnership of 92 runs for the third wicket. Baig’s aggressive batting, coupled with Shahzaib’s sublime century, laid a strong foundation for Pakistan’s innings. Despite a few setbacks in the middle order, Muhammad Riazullah’s determined innings and valuable contributions from the lower order propelled Pakistan to a commendable total of 284-9 at the end of their allotted 50 overs.
In response, Afghanistan U19 faced an early setback as Pakistan’s opening bowlers, Amir Hassan and Ubaid Shah, struck early blows, rattling Afghanistan’s top order. Despite brief resistance from Hassan Eisakhil and Sohail Khan Zurmati, Afghanistan struggled to build partnerships and lost wickets at regular intervals. The relentless bowling attack led by Ubaid Shah and Mohammad Zeeshan dismantled Afghanistan’s batting lineup, with Shahzaib Khan’s exceptional century-winning him the Player of the Match award for his stellar contribution.
With this convincing victory under their belt, Pakistan U19 will now set their sights on their upcoming clash against Nepal U19, poised to maintain their winning momentum in the tournament.
Leave a Reply