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Pakistan U19s attain glory

Saturday, March 6 2004

In a thrilling encounter, Pakistan emerged victors at the 2004 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, defeating the West Indies by 25 runs. Winning the toss, Pakistan avoided batting under lights in the tournament final when they elected to bat first.

Sharp bowling from the West Indies openers, Mervin Matthew (10-2-35-2) in particular, meant that runs came slowly initially, but the entry of Lendl Simmons to the bowling crease saw a spate of runs, including 17 (four boundaries) off his second over. Khalid Latif (20) and Adnan Zaheer (33) added 53 before the latter played around Rishi Bachan's first delivery of the innings and was bowled comprehensively.

It was only 5 runs later that captain Latif followed, stumped attempting a wild swish off the same bowler. Jahangir Mirza (11) and Tariq Mahmood (10) then set about to repair the damage and did so slowly but solidly until the twenty-first over, then both batsmen departed in consecutive overs, Bachan claiming his third wicket in the process.

Once more the goal was to rebuild. This time it was Asif Iqbal and Salman Qadir attempting the task. The partnership was initially slow, but accelerated nicely to see 97 runs added in a ball short of twenty-one overs. Iqbal reached a very good fifty with a heave over midwicket for the lone six of the match followed by a skied outside edge which just eluded the grasp of backward point and went away for a boundary. He was soon dismissed via the runout route, however, due a brilliant piece of execution by Bachan - gone for 54.

Qadir followed soon after, skying a catch to Matthew at longoff, having made a solid 42. Left-hander Fawad Alam, who had replaced Iqbal, started well and got a couple of boundaries when, attempting another big hit, he was out to a superb catch by Jonathan Augustus running a fair way along the boundary line. Two more wickets fell to Matthew and the innings closed at 230/9.

The total seemed to be very challenging, given that no team had chased over 200 nor scored over 200 runs to date in the tournament. The West Indians hoped to change that, and got off to the ideal start as Xavier Marshall (26) and Tishan Maraj (32) added a positive 69. Just when Maraj looked well set for a big innings, he senselessly ran himself out, charging down the wicket after a Tariq googly hit Marshall's pad and rolled a mere three or four feet away from the pitch. Wicketkeeper Haider had no problems collecting the ball and sending it back to the bowler for a simple run out.

This instated an immediate halt to the West Indies' momentum and was further so as Marshall picked the wrong ball to go over midwicket with and instead got an almighty top-edge, which was easily held by the 'keeper. Simmons struggled at the crease for 30 balls and Fudadin seemed intent on blocking out the second string spinners, as the runs slowed to a crawl. Eventually the pressure found a crack and Simmons played back to an innocuous Jahangir delivery to be struck plumb in front for 5. Fudadin found the boundary with a pleasant cover drive, but joined Simmons soon after with a top-edged cut shot, also off Jahangir Mirza.

Indeed it seemed as though runs were impossible to come by, but for 1 or 2 per over. The required rate climbed and the concern with it, especially in the West Indies' camp as they knew that Tariq Mahmood and Mansoor Amjad were still to return for the majority of their quotas.

As was the theme of the game, yet another repair effort was in the works. Captain Denesh Ramdin and Jonathan Augustus joined powers in what was perceived as the last real hope for the boys from the Caribbean. Augustus (25) looked to be positive and in good shape, well supported by a solid Ramdin, before he was run out to a direct hit by Alam.

The captain batted on, but semi-final hero - Zamal Khan - departed quickly for just 10. In all sorts of trouble at 169/6, the West Indies still needed 62 runs for victory with 61 legal deliveries remaining. Senior pace bowler, Ravi Rampaul joined the cause with Ramdin and the two put on a further 28 runs to bring the equation to 34 off 38 balls. The tension mounted and it became a question of who would hold their nerve better at the crucial stage.

Star bowler Riaz Afridi returned after an early spell which saw him made to be expensive at the flashing blade of Maraj. He found rewards with the second to last ball of his final over of the 2004 World Cup, trapping Ramdin LBW for a determined 36. With Ramdin out, hopes of maroon glory all but faded and the stands erupted with a Pakistani victory still a distinct possibility. Amidst the roar of the stadium Liam Sebastien was run out by Haider before he could score and the equation swung further to the Asian balance.

Now only 31 balls remained and exactly a run-a-ball was needed. Ravi Rampaul was once more showing the poise and level-headed demeanour which the world first saw in South Africa. Still, there was not much he could do but watch on as Matthew was outfoxed by Tariq Mahmood and caught behind for 2 and just 4 balls later the dream of one team was over and the dreams of another realized to glorious potential.

Pakistan Under-19 earned themselves the right to be called the World Champions. The game ended in exciting and somewhat fitting fashion, via the fourth run out of the innings and the fifth of the final. The West Indies had gotten this far due a fine showing of run outs in the semi-final and Pakistan had been displaying their prowess with the ball throughout the tournament. Ravi Rampaul ended undefeated on 24 off 19 balls with three boundaries.

For his stance under pressure to revive his team from 81 for 4, Asif Iqbal received the prestigious Man of the Match award and watched as the Man of the Series award went to the Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan for his Herculean runscoring in the competition.

On this day there would be no beating the Pakistanis and their dominance throughout the tournament came to a deserved climax of elation and a fine piece of silverware to boot.

Score Summary

Pakistan U19s 230/9 (50 overs)
(Asif Iqbal 54 [72], Salman Qadir 42 [63], Adnan Zaheer 33 [36])
{Rishi Bachan 3/34 [10], Mervin Matthew 2/35 [10], Zamal Khan 1/35 [10])

West Indies U19s 205 ao (47.1 overs)
(Denesh Ramdin 36 [61], Tishan Maraj 32 [42], Xavier Marshall 26 [42])
(Tariq Mahmood 3/34 [10], Jahangir Mirza 2/29 [7], Riaz Afridi 1/39 [6])

Result: Pakistan U19 won by 25 runs
Man of the Match: Asif Iqbal
Man of the Tournament: Shikhar Dhawan (India)

Posted by Liam