FATULLAH: Opener Zeeshan Malik narrowly missed a century as Pakistan ended their campaign in the ICC U-19 World Cup on a winning note on Friday by defeating England by seven wickets in Fatullah to finish fifth in the 16-nation tournament.

England scored 264-7 after being sent in to bat at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium with Sam Curran making 83 (107 balls, 11 boundaries) and Tom Moores contributing 47.

Seamers Sameen Gul took two wickets for 42 runs and Saif Ali two for 37.

Zeeshan then led Pakistan’s charge with a brilliant 93 off 105 balls while hitting 15 fours, before Saif Badar and all-rounder Hasan Mohsin clinched an emphatic victory with an unbeaten stand of 67 for the fourth wicket.

Saif was unbeaten on an 80-ball 75 that included five fours and three sixes and the impressive Mohsin made 39 not out as Pakistan won in the 44th over.

Afghanistan, meanwhile, won the Plate Championship title by claiming the ninth position after defeating Zimbabwe by five wickets at the Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium in Cox’s Bazar.

Chasing Zimbabwe’s 216-9, the Afghans slipped to 123-5 in the 31st over before Tariq Stanikzai and Rashid Khan turned the game around with an unbroken stand of 95 for the sixth wicket.

Tariq returned unbeaten on 106, a 142-ball innings containing 10 fours and two sixes with Rashid making a 50-ball 55 not out with the aid of five boundaries and a brace of sixes.

For Zimbabwe, Jeremy Ives took two wickets for 36 runs.

The tournament’s defending champions, South Africa, who failed to make the Super League, finished 11th with a 138-run win over New Zealand at the Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium Academy Ground in Cox’s Bazar.

Dean Foxcroft led the way for young Proteas as he made 117 from 137 balls with 13 fours and one six.

Rivaldo Moonsamy made 51 off 43 balls with three sixes and as many fours while Wandile Makwetu scored an unbeaten 50 off just 24 balls with seven fours and two sixes as South Africa piled up 288-6 after being sent in to bat.

New Zealand were shot out for 150 in reply with Finn Allen top-scoring with 40. Wiaan Mulder claimed four wickets for 14 runs and Ziyaad Abrahams took two for 37.

Friday’s other results:

Plate Championship final:

Afghanistan bt Zimbabwe by five wickets at Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium, Cox’s Bazar.

ZIMBABWE 216-9 in 50 overs (W.T. Mashinge 66, R. Murray 53, A. Keefe 38; Zia-ur-Rehman 3-33, Muslim Musa 3-38); AFGHANISTAN 218-5 in 48.5 overs (Tariq Stanikzai 106 not out, Rashid Khan 55 not out; J. Ives 2-36).

Plate Championship 11th place playoff:

South Africa bt New Zealand by 138 runs at Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium Academy Ground, Cox’s Bazar.

SOUTH AFRICA 288-6 in 50 overs (D. Foxcroft 117, R. Moonsamy 51, W. Makwetu 50 not out, L. Smith 20; A.A. Parikh 2-33); NEW ZEALAND 150 in 38.4 overs (F.H. Allen 40, R. Ravindra 39, A.A. Parikh 35; P.W.A. Mulder 4-14, Z. Abrahams 2-37).

Saturday’s fixture (starting time 8:00am PST):

Super League third place playoff: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh (Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, Fatullah).

Scoreboard

ENGLAND:

D.W. Lawrence c Umair b Sameen0
T.J. Moores c sub b Saif Ali47J.T.A. Burnham b Hasan2C.J. Taylor c Umair b Shadab33S.M. Curran b Sameen83R.C. Davies b Hassaan15B.J. Taylor not out37G.H.S. Garton c Arsal b Saif Ali20J.D. Warner not out1

EXTRAS (B-10, LB-2, W-14)26

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs)264

FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-20, 3-58, 4-110, 5-138, 6-213, 7-261.

DID NOT BAT: M.S. Crane, Saqib Mahmood.

BOWLING: Sameen Gul 10-0-42-2 (3w); Hasan Mohsin 5-0-31-1 (1w); Saif Ali 6-0-37-2; Saif Badar 5-0-35-0 (1w); Mohammad Hassaan Khan 10-2-32-1 (1w); Shadab Khan 10-0-56-1 (3w); Arsal Sheikh 4-0-19-0.

PAKISTAN:

Zeeshan Malik c Warner b Curran93Gohar Hafeez c Warner b Garton18 Shadab Khan c Burnham b Crane17Saif Badar not out75 Hasan Mohsin not out39

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-2, W-16) 23

TOTAL (for three wkts, 43.1 overs)265

FALL OF WKTS: 1-25, 2-83, 3-198.

DID NOT BAT: Umair Masood, Salman Fayyaz, Mohammad Hassaan Khan, Saif Ali, Sameen Gul, Arsal Sheikh.

BOWLING: Saqib Mahmood 4-0-35-0 (1w); Garton 6-0-36-1 (1w); B.J. Taylor 5-0-28-0; Crane 10-0-50-1 (1w); Warner 4.1-0-37-0; Lawrence 8-0-35-0 (2w); Curran 6-0-37-1 (2w).

RESULT: Pakistan won by seven wickets.

UMPIRES: G.O. Brathwaite (West Indies) and A.T. Holdstock (South Africa).

TV UMPIRE: R.S.A. Palliyaguruge (Sri Lanka).

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

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Zeeshan Malik.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2016