India and Pakistan start Super Six phase with wins

With the preliminary group games out of the way, 12 teams remain in contention for the U19 Cricket World Cup trophy. The Super Six stage started with three exciting contests yesterday.

India beat New Zealand by a comfortable margin of 214 runs in Bloemfontein to boost their semi-final chances.

Despite a few stutters in their chase, Pakistan secured a three-wicket win over Ireland to remain unbeaten in the tournament.

India defeated New Zealand by 214 runs in Bloemfontein

The loss of the previous game’s centurion Arshin Kulkarni for nine had little impact on India’s approach in the first Powerplay. Adarsh Singh and Musheer Khan went for their shots on a wicket where the ball came easily onto the bat and the outfield was fast.

India’s scoring rate remained closer to six at the start of the second Powerplay. Both the batters kept their foot on the pedal, even as India crossed the 100-run mark in the 17th over. Adarsh fell after his fifty, failing to pierce Zac Cumming past the covers. Musheer was joined by skipper Uday Saharan, and the duo held the innings together. Musheer reached his third successive fifty-plus score of the tournament in the 25th over.

Their patient accumulation was disrupted when Saharan (34) tried to dispatch Oliver Tewatiya with a sweep, but ended up top-edging straight to Zac Cumming. New Zealand were able to contain India’s scoring rate to five runs per over during the middle overs, with the Boys in Blue scoring 145 runs in the overs 11-40.

Musheer’s belligerence mounted India’s charge towards 300. The batter reached his second successive 100 of the tournament in the 43rd over, and then upped his scoring rate. After reaching his century, Musheer added 31 runs off merely 17 balls. This included three fours and two sixes.

Late strikes from Mason Clarke (4/62) meant that India fell just short of that mark.

In the second essay, Raj Limbani was right on the mark with the very first ball, swerving one right back in to rattle Tom Jones’ stumps. He didn’t have to wait long for his second, as another corker trapped Snehith Reddy leg before for a duck.

Saumy Pandey took the new ball from the other end, and troubled New Zealand too. He beat Lachlan Stackpole in the sixth over, and bowled the southpaw for five. Then, in his very next over, he trapped James Nelson in front to leave New Zealand four down.

The young Kiwis slipped further in overs 11-20. Naman Tiwari cleaned up Tewatiya in the 12th over after the batter tried to fend off a good-length delivery and completely missed the line. Oscar Jackson and Zac Cumming tried to halt the slide, but the former fell to an exceptional yorker from Musheer. Jackson tried to fend the ball towards the leg-side, but was bowled in the process.

When Cumming fell while trying to attempt an ambitious reverse sweep against Saumy Pandey, the writing was on the wall for the Kiwis. They were bowled out in the 29th over. Pandey led the India bowling effort with his 4/19.

Pakistan defeated Ireland by three wickets in Potchefstroom

Disciplined work from Pakistan bowlers meant that Ireland crept at a run rate of one for the first five overs. This pressure yielded a wicket, as Ubaid Shah had Jordan Neill caught off his bowling. The batter tried to pull but the ball reached him earlier than he had anticipated, and a top edge went straight to Ubaid.

Ireland’s innings lost its balance in the first half of the second Powerplay. They lost five wickets for merely 50 runs. All of the batters fell while trying to seize the initiative away from Pakistan. Ali Raza, Ahmad Hassan and Amir Hassan picked a wicket apiece, while Ubaid had a second breakthrough in the 24th over.

Ireland had their first proper partnership of the game when John McNally and Harry Dyer came together for the seventh wicket. By the time Dyer perished to Haroon Arshad in the 37th over, the duo had put together 65 runs, which was two more than the effort of first six wickets combined. Ireland were still far away from a fighting total and needed a late push.

Despite McNally’s fighting 53, Ireland couldn’t up the ante in the last Powerplay. They were bowled out by the 49th over. Ubaid was once again Pakistan’s star with 3/31.

Pakistan openers were off to a characteristic positive start going at about five an over before Reuben Wilson struck. The pacer had the big scalp of Shahzaib Khan, Pakistan’s leading run-scorer in the tournament when the batter tried to cut the ball but edged one to slip. Ollie Riley got the other opener in the next over. Shamyl Hossain mistimed a pull and ended up lofting the ball in the air, straight back to the keeper.

Azan Awais and Saad Baig began a reconstruction job. The duo moved the chase ahead without taking too many risks. They hit merely five fours between them during their stay at the crease. Awais’s vigilance was broken when he missed one from Dryer, and was trapped leg before.

Dryer struck again in the form of Saad Baig’s wicket to leave Pakistan four down for 78. Ubaid Shah was promoted up the order and sent in to partner Ahmad Hassan. The experiment didn’t work as Ubaid fell for eight. Ahmad Hassan and Haroon Arshad fought back with a solid sixth wicket stand. They added 63 runs from 75 balls to bring Pakistan on the brink of a win. Despite losing Arshad at 159, Pakistan managed to cross the line by the 44th over.