POTCHEFSTROOM: Inspired by a brilliant innings from Mohammad Haris, Pakistan eased into the Super League quarter-finals of the ICC Under-19 World Cup with 38-run win against Zimbabwe at the Witrand Oval in Potchefstroom on Wednesday.

Zimbabwe, who were chasing a daunting 295, were bowled out for 255 in 46.3 overs.

Haris scored a blistering 81 as Pakistan reached 294-9 after Zimbabwe opted to field first. The right-hander came to the crease at 140-4 after 33 overs. But the final 17 overs Pakistan amass 154 runs mainly due to Haris’ brilliance.

The right-hander hit seven fours and three towering sixes in his 51-ball knock.

Haris added 43 for the fifth-wicket with Qasim Akram (54 off 50 balls, five fours and two sixes), 41 for the sixth-wicket with Muhammad Irfan (15) and 42 for the seventh wicket with Abbas Afridi (10) before falling with 12 balls left in the innings.

Haris took the attack to the bowlers and made the most of the repair job done by Qasim and Fahad Munir (53 off 79 balls, five fours) who added 66 for the fourth-wicket to rescue the side from a tentative start which saw them reduced to 74-3 in 21.3 overs with captain Rohail Nazir also gone for a duck.

Wesley Madhevere and Emmanuel Bawa added 64 for the first wicket in Zimbabwe’s reply. The partnership was broken by left-arm-spinner Aamir Ali who accounted for the wicket of Bawa (19).

Madhevere was dismissed by Qasim after scoring 53 off 55 balls (six fours, one six). Off-spinner Qasim also took the key wicket of captain Dion Myers (39 off 50 balls, two fours and one six) who was spectacularly caught by Irfan Khan, who took a one-handed diving catch.

Pacemen Tahir Hussain and Abbas Abbasi took three wickets, while Aamir Ali and Qasim bagged two scalps each.

Pakistan play Bangladesh in the last Group ‘C’ match on Friday.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

Haider Ali c Grant b Shumba 19

Mohammad Shehzad run out 27

Fahad Munir c Myers b Nyangani 53

Rohail Nazir lbw b Grant 0

Qasim Akram run out 54

Mohammad Haris c Myers b Grant 81

Irfan Khan c Schadendorf b Myers 15

Abbas Afridi b Grant 10

Mohammad Wasim c Oldknow b Ndlela 5

Tahir Hussain not out 2

Aamir Ali not out 9

EXTRAS (LB-5, W-10, NB-3) 18

TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 294

FALL OF WKTS: 1-27, 2-73, 3-74, 4-140, 5-183, 6-224, 7-266, 8-277, 9-281.

BOWLING: Shumba 9-1-52-1 (2nb); Ndlela 9-0-48-1 (2w); Myers 8-1-52-1 (7w); Madhevere 10-0-42-0 (1w); Grant 7-0-46-3; Nyangani 7-0-49-1 (1nb).

ZIMBABWE:

W.N. Madhevere c and b Qasim 53

E. Bawa c Haris b Aamir 20

M. Shumba b Abbas 58

D.N. Myers c Irfan b Qasim 39

T. Marumani c Aamir b Abbas 16

T. Tugwete b Abbas 23

L.D. Oldknow st Rohail b Aamir 4

S. Ndlela lbw b Tahir 0

D. Schadendorf c Irfan b Tahir 13

D. Grant c Irfan b Tahir 1

T. Nyangani not out 2

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-22, NB-1) 27

TOTAL (all out, 46.3 overs) 256

FALL OF WKTS: 1-65, 2-103, 3-186, 4-208, 5-209, 6-231, 7-233, 8-249, 9-254.

BOWLING: Tahir Hussain 7.3-0-42-3 (1w); Abbas Afridi 9-0-55-3 (3w); Aamir Ali 10-0-51-2 (2w); Mohammad Wasim 6-0-39-0 (1nb, 5w); Qasim Akram 10-0-41-2 (2w); Fahad Munir 4-0-24-0 (1w).

RESULT: Pakistan won by 38 runs.

UMPIRES: N. Duguid (West Indies) and R.R. Wimalasiri (Sri Lanka).

MATCH REFEREE: G.F. Labrooy (Sri Lanka).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Mohammad Haris.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2020