The Under 19 Pakistan cricket team has qualified for the quarter-finals of the U19 Cricket World Cup after winning two matches, defeating Afghanistan by 24 runs in the second match at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in Trinidad.
Pakistan skipper Qasim Akram elected to bat first and his side scored a good total of 239 runs. Last match’s star Haseebullah Khan failed to impress fans, scoring only two runs while Muhammad Shehzad scored 43.
Shehzad shared a 60 partnership with number three Abdul Faseeh who made 68 off 95 balls with the skipper Qasim adding 38 from number five.
Maaz Sadaqat played a gem of an innings with 42 not out off just 37 balls, including seven fours, to drag his side up to 239 for nine from their 50 overs.
Despite a slow start, Afghanistan took the contest deep, although their innings was characterised by some wild running between the wickets, with three runouts as well as a number of near misses. The Afghan team managed to score 215 for the loss of nine wickets.
Awais Ali, who took six wickets in the match against Zimbabwe, took three wickets by conceading only 36 runs in nine overs.
The Green Shirts’ next game of the group stage is against Papua New Guinea, scheduled to be played on Saturday, January 22.
