Johannesburg: Former champions Pakistan and West Indies started their respective campaigns in the Super Six stage with hard-fought identical three-wicket wins in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 in South Africa on Tuesday.
Two-time winners Pakistan maintained their unbeaten streak with a tough win over a spirited Ireland side in Potchefstroom, edging over the line thanks to another impressive bowling display and heroics from their middle order.
In Kimberley, West Indies emerged victorious in a game that swung back and forth. Sri Lanka’s bowlers took the game to the final over but were unable to overturn another gritty fightback from the West Indies lineup.
Pakistan beat Ireland by three wickets
Pakistan’s pacers made merry at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom after skipper Saad Baig opted to bowl first against Ireland. Ubaid Shah, who leads the wickets chart in the tournament so far, had Jordan Neill caught and bowled in the sixth over after the Irish openers were watchful early on with the new ball.
Ali Raza came in as first-change bowler to send back Ryan Hunter after his 28-ball stay for 10 runs. Ahmad Hassan, though, broke the back of Ireland’s top-order with the wickets of Gavin Roulston and skipper Philippe le Roux in quick succession.
Amir Hassan returned for a second spell to snare the big wicket of Kian Hilton and Ireland were left on their haunches at 39 for five.
Scott MacBeth and John McNally put together a promising partnership to lift Irish hopes, but Baig threw the ball back to Ubaid to break the stand and he delivered. In the first ball of his second over on return, Ubaid had MacBeth caught out for 16 and Ireland lost their sixth wicket.
Harry Dyer hung around with McNally to resist a lower-order collapse and Ireland got to the three-figure mark in the 32nd over. The stand between the two was broken a few overs later when Dyer fell for a 41-ball 31, holing out from off-spinner Haroon Arshad.
McNally completed his half-century thereafter and Ireland pushed themselves close to the 200-run mark. Ali Raza had McNally bowled in the 45th over, which dented Ireland’s chances of a final push in the death overs.
Raza finished with economical figures of two for 18 in 10 overs while Ubaid Shah took three for 31 in his 10. Amir and Ahmad Hassan also shared two wickets apiece as Pakistan’s bowling restricted Ireland to 181.
In reply, Ireland managed to do something few teams have managed against Pakistan this far this tournament: dismiss the openers cheaply. Reuben Wilson and Oliver Riley struck inside the first six overs to send back the dangerous duo of Shahzaib Khan and Shamyl Hussain.
With the middle-order left to do the heavy lifting for arguably the first time in the tournament, Pakistan struggled to adapt. Azan Awais and skipper Baig got starts but couldn’t go past the 20s. Promoted up the order, Ubaid too fell for a single-digit score as Ireland sensed a way into the contest with Pakistan at 96 for five.
However, Ahmed Hassan and Arshad eased the nerves by making 39 runs off the next six overs to push back the Irish bowlers. The duo stayed unbeaten till the score crossed 150, after which Arshad was bowled by Neill for 25.
Arafat Minhas was sent back by Dyer late in the game, but Pakistan were almost home by that point. Hassan completed his half-century as Pakistan registered a victory that, while not too convincing, helped them maintain vital momentum at a crucial stage in the tournament.
West Indies beat Sri Lanka
Meanwhile in Kimberley, opting to bat first Sri Lanka were dealt an early blow when Nathan Edward, Player of the Match in the previous game, had opener Vishen Halambage dismissed for a golden duck in the opening over.
No.3 Sineth Jayawardena too fell soon after to Edward as the left-arm quick continued from where he left off against England in their final group match. Pulindu Perera and Supun Waduge started the rebuild but couldn’t get far as Raneico Smith came into the attack and trapped Perera in front in his first over.
Dinura Kalupahana held his end up with some solid defensive strokes as Waduge tried to up the run rate. The partnership, though, was broken just as it was gaining momentum when a deflection off Nathan Sealy’s fingertips hit the stumps at the non-striker’s end with Waduge short of the crease.
The unfortunate dismissal saw Sri Lanka slip to 85 for four with their key batter back in the hut. Kalupahana took on the responsibility of marshalling the innings, but he struggled to find partners as West Indies kept striking regularly.
Malsha Tharupathi stuck around at No.8 and the duo stitched together a half-century stand before Kalupahana, who made 53, cut Sealy straight to the fielder.
Tharupathi added useful lower-order runs with the tail before Smith cleaned him up. Sri Lanka finished on 231 in 50 overs, a total that appeared unlikely at the halfway mark. Smith was the pick of West Indian bowlers with figures of four for 47.
West Indies got off to a flier in the chase with skipper Stephan Pascal leading the charge. The opener raced to 33 with five fours and a six, after which Kalupahana had him caught at point.
Steve Wedderburn carried on positively, but West Indies lost Joshua Dorne to Vishwa Lahiru just after the Powerplay.
Jordan Johnson and Wedderburn, however, continued doing what West Indies have done well this tournament: transferring the pressure onto their opponents with quick runs. The 86-run partnership between the duo came at nearly run-a-ball as West Indies put themselves well ahead in the chase.
Sri Lanka struck back in the middle overs, first sending back Wedderburn and then Johnson next over to break the stand that was threatening to finish the game quickly. Vihas Thewmika’s off-spin accounted for Johnson, who made 39, but Mavendra Dindyal and Edward shaved off a few more runs from the target as West Indies edged closer.
Two quick wickets, that of Dindyal and Edward, gave Sri Lanka a bit of hope. It increased further when the dangerous Jewel Andrew was trapped in front by Kalupahana with the Windies still 26 runs from the target.
However, Sealy came to their rescue, yet again staying calm under pressure to get West Indies close. Despite a few nervy moments, Sealy remained unbeaten on 27 to steer his side home with three balls to spare.
–IANS
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