Cricket: Pakistan U19 beat South Africa to clinch series

Register narrow 2-wicket win in final Youth ODI.

Pakistan under-19 registered a narrow two-wicket win over South Africa under-19 in the third and final Youth One-Day International (ODI) to clinch the series 2-1 at the Stellenbosch University Ground.

Chasing a stiff target of 265, Pakistan were indebted to captain Babar Azam and Umar Waheed before the tail took the team past the finish line in the final over.

Azam made 88 and Waheed, named man of the match, hit 94 with the pair adding 130 for the second wicket to take the score to 190 for one. However, a collapse reduced the tourists to 220 for five and then 243 for seven before Ehsan Adil’s 22-run knock helped Pakistan’s cause.

Adil’s dismissal in the 49th over renewed South Africa’s hopes but Fawad Khan hit a boundary as Pakistan went past the finish line. The result follows a victory in the second Youth ODI after South Africa convincingly won the series opener.

Earlier, South Africa were boosted by opener Quinton de Kock’s superb 133 that enabled the hosts to put a competitive total on the board. The in-form De Kock put on 147 with partner Murray Coetzee, who contributed 55, to set the platform for a huge total.

However, disciplined bowling in the final overs restricted the hosts’ charge. Pakistan’s Ziaul Haq took two for 52, while Adil and Fawad finished with a wicket apiece and conceded just 80 runs in 20 overs.

The 2-1 win in the series was sweet revenge for Pakistan, who were downed by South Africa in the Tri-Nation Series final.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2012.