Pakistan U16 side whitewashes Australia U16 in T20s

Boys in Green claim series victories in 50-over and shortest format

KARACHI: Pakistan U16 cricket team completed a 3-0 whitewash of Australia U16 team on Wednesday with a four-run victory in the third match at the International Cricket Council Global Cricket Academy in Dubai on Wednesday.

Earlier, Pakistan had also made a comeback in the three-match ODI series by winning the latter two matches to bag the series 2-1.

In the last T20 of the series, after opting to bat first, Pakistan U16 team posted a total of 136 courtesy Ruhail Nazir’s 57 off 47 balls. He hit five fours and a six while Zain-bin-Farooq scored 36 off 23 balls. Australia’s Connor Sully took four wickets.

Chasing 137, Australia were restricted to 132 as Mohammad Taha took four wickets for 26 runs in his four-over spell. Meanwhile, Mehran Mumtaz, Muhammad Imran and Aarish Khan took one wicket each for 20, 24 and 25 runs respectively. Oliver Davies (33) was the top scorer for Australia.

Moreover, Nazir remained the top-scorer of the ODI series with 258 runs in three matches including two centuries and was the second top-scorer of T20 series with his 99 runs courtesy a fifty. Aarish Ali of Pakistan was the highest wicket-taker in the ODI series and the second top in the T20I series with seven wickets in each format.

Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board Shaharyar Khan felicitated Pakistan U16 Team, coach-cum-manager and the entire support staff on winning the one-day and T20 series against Australia.

"It has been a superb success for the team showing unity, discipline and ability. The youngsters put up a good fight to clinch the ODI and T20 series,” he said. “I am especially pleased with the consistency and talent of this young lot. The entire team played well throughout the series.

He added that performances from young players are always a good sign. “Whenever an U16, U19 team or an ‘A’ squad shows such promise, it brings double joy because it reflects that the younger lot are talented enough to be blooded in case there is a need in the senior side.”