Poor running sinks Windies U-19s

DHAKA: Appalling running between the wickets at crucial stages led to the demise of the West Indies Under-19s by 25 runs in a thrilling climax to the ICC Youth World Cup cricket final against Pakistan at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh yesterday.

In pursuit of 231 runs from 50 overs, Young West Indies (YWI) lost Tishan Maraj, Jonathan Augustus, Liam Sebastien and Rishi Bachan on their way to being dismissed for 205 with 17 balls to spare. Young Pakistan, behind the only half-century of the contest from Asif Iqbal, later named “man-of-the-Match,” and then clever spin bowling from Tariq Mahmood and Jahangir Mirza that put the brakes on the YWIs scoring, clinched the championship for the first time in front of an ecstatic, sell-out crowd. In the West indies chase, five batsmen got starts, including captain Denesh Ramdin, whose 36 from 61 balls was the top score, but none of them carried on for a significant innings. Tariq was the most successful Pakistan bowler with three wickets for 34 runs from his allotment of 10 overs and Jahangir prised out two for 29 from seven overs.

Iqbal hit 54 from 72 balls with three fours and one six and shared a vital fifth wicket stand of 97 from 20.5 overs with Salman Qadir, whose 42 contained one four from 63 balls, after Rishi Bachan threatened to run riot with three wickets for 34 runs from his allotment of ten overs. West Indies made a bright start to their chase with opening batsmen Maraj and Xavier Marshall sharing 69. But once Pakistan captain Khalid Latif brought spin bowlers Mansoor Amjad and Tariq into the attack, the YWI became unravelled. Maraj was run out backing up too far in the 13th over and Marshall followed three overs later when he was caught behind for 26 off 42 balls top-edging a sweep off Tariq to leave the Caribbean lads 72 for two in the 16th over.

They were still in the hunt, but Lendl Simmons and Assad Fudadin could not get the ball off the square, batting nearly nine overs together for the addition of just 12 runs, before Jahangir put them out of their misery in successive overs. Simmons, playing back to a sharply turning delivery, was adjudged leg before wicket for five in the 24th over — but might have been a touch unfortunate because of the height — and Fudadin caught at backward point for 13 to leave WI  94 for four in the 26th over. Ramdin and compatriot Augustus revived their team’s chances with a stand of 50 for the fifth wicket. The two were just getting on top of the Pakistani spin bowlers when Augustus too, succeeded in running himself out for 25 in the 37th over.

With 87 runs needed from 83 balls, it was going to be tight right to the finish. Although Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul with 24 not out and, to a lesser extent, Zamal Khan kept it interesting, the pressure was too much for YWI and they crashed. Earlier, Pakistan too, benefitted from an enterprising start after choosing to bat in ideal conditions. Khalid and Adnan Zaheer put 53 runs on the board before Ramdin’s introduction of left-arm spin bowler Bachan rocked the new champions’ boat. Adnan was bowled for 33 driving over Bachan’s first delivery in the 13th over and Khalid was stumped for 20 moving down looking to slog/sweep the left-arm spin bowler to set Pakistan back on 58 for two.

The wickets of Tariq, stumped for ten off Bachan in the 21st over, and Jahangir, caught behind for 11 off Khan, left Pakistan on the backfoot on 81 for four after 22 overs. But Asif and Salman repaired the damage and kept them on firmly on course for their date with destiny.