Dubai
South Africa emerged as the new International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 Cricket World Cup champions conquering Pakistan by six wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The clash put to test South Africa’s all-round skills and their players rose to the challenge led by their skipper Aiden Markram with a match winning unbeaten 66 runs off 125 balls with six boundaries and medium pacer Corbin Bosch through a four-wicket to lift the World Cup for the first time with 47 balls to spare.
It was a spectacular show from South Africans who had remained unbeaten throughout the tournament. Pakistan, well known for their batting strength, got bowled out for a paltry 131 runs in 44.3 overs.
Though South Africa’s pacer Kagiso Rabada with his fearsome pace and bounce was expected to be main threat, Pakistan fell to their other two pacers — Bosch, who produced a spell of 4 for 15 and Justin Dill (2 for 29). Left-arm spinner Yaseen Vali too chipped in with two wickets for 19 runs, and Pakistan were reduced 72 for 7. The last three wickets took the score to 131 but they were bowled out in 44.3 overs.
It was an intense battle of bat and ball from the start. The reputation of Pakistan batsmen and South African bowling attack were at stake and both the teams went full out to prove they are the best.
The inform Pakistan opening pair of Sami Aslam and Imam-Ul-Haq lasted only for nine overs. Rabada began on a threatening note by having Haq caught behind by Clyde Fortuin for 12. This pair which had posted huge partnerships in this tournament could only post 23 runs.
In the tenth over, Aslam cracked two consecutive boundaries off Ngazibini Sigwili. Two overs later, Justin Dill took the prize wicket of Aslam on 16 by forcing him to edge an away going delivery to give Fortuin his second catch.
Pakistan slipped into big trouble in the 17th over when medium pacer Bosch struck twice. With the second delivery of the over he had Saud Shakeel play away from his body and edge to Dirk Bruwer at first slip for four. Two balls later, Bosch forced Kamran Ghulam to offer Fortuin his third catch for a duck.
Dill came back to also force Hasan Raza to offer a catch to Fortuin for 15. When Bosch had Saifullah Khan too offer Fortuin his fifth catch, the reputed Pakistan batting were reeling at 6 for 60.
Early success
Pakistan would have been all out for under 100 runs but for Zafar Gohar (22) and Amjad Butt’s unbeaten 37 runs.
Chasing the moderate total, Pakistan earned early success. In the fourth over, Amad Butt had Fortuin who went for a pull landing up caught at short cover by Raza for 1. Leg spinner Karamat Ali had one-drop batsman Jason Smith trapped leg before for 9.
Undaunted by the two early wickets, skipper Aiden Markram who has been South Africa’s most consistent opener, kept the scoreboard moving by picking only the lose balls to hit. He got a good partner in Greg Oldfield who too played some delectable shots. The pair put on 71 invaluable runs in 20.3 overs before Karamat Ali had Oldfield caught behind by Saifullah Khan with a quicker delivery for 40.
South Africa needed another 33 runs from 18 overs at this stage. Next man Yaseen Ali offered not shot to a delivery from left-arm pacer Zia Ul Haq to be clean bowled for 1. Pakistan mounted pressure on the batsmen cheered by the large number of supporters.
Through a sparkling extra cover drive to the boundary, Markram reached his half century in 98 balls.
