U19 World Cup 2018: Day 4 - Round up

The fourth day of the ongoing U19 Cricket World Cup in New Zealand saw a couple of one-sided encounters which were won by the expected teams. While India locked horns with Papua New Guinea at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, Pakistan and Ireland faced each other in a group D clash at Cobham Oval in Whangarei. However, both the matches were won easily by India and Pakistan respectively with their bowlers doing the job for them in the first innings.

The game between the youngsters of Pakistan and Ireland began first as the Men in Green won the toss and opted to bowl. The Irish openers started decently by adding 20 runs before Arshad Iqbal scalped one of them which triggered the collapse as the young Shaheen Afridi wrecked havoc in the opposition camp. He literally destroyed the batting line-up of Ireland and ended with the figures of 6/15 from 8.3 overs. The cameo from Joshua Little down the order helped them reach close to the three-figure mark at least.

Ireland were eventually bundled out for 97 runs in the 29th over with the skipper of Pakistan Hasan Khan also picking three crucial wickets. The chase was straightforward for Pakistan as they gunned it down within nine overs after losing only a single wicket. Muhammad Zaid Alam led the way at the top and slammed 43* off just 19 deliveries with seven fours and a solitary six.

India thrash PNG by 10 wickets

In the second game of the day, India thrashed Papua New Guinea by 10 wickets, the result which was expected given the stark difference between the two sides. The Men in Blue won the toss and opted to bowl as the decision was proved correct by their bowlers. Papua New Guinea were always kept under the lid as they kept on losing wickets at regular intervals. The left-arm spin of Anukul Sudhakar Roy spun the web around the batsmen as they were skittled out for a paltry total of 64 in the 22nd over.

In response, Prithvi Shaw led the way for India as he launched an assault on the opposition bowlers and slammed an unbeaten half-century. He finished the game unbeaten on 57 off only 39 cherries with a whopping 12 boundaries. India won the game easily with 42 overs spare and top the group also qualifying for the next round.

Brief Scores

Pakistan U19 vs Ireland U19

Ireland U19 97 after 28.5 overs (J Little 24*; S Afridi 6/15)

Pakistan U19 98/1 after 8.5 overs (M Alam 43*; A Cawley 1/27)

Result: Pakistan U19 won by 9 wickets

Man of the Match: Shaheen Afridi

India U19 vs Papua New Guinea U19

Papua New Guinea U19 64 after 21.5 overs (O Sam 15; A Roy 5/14)

India U19 67/0 after 8 overs (P Shaw 57*)

Result: India U19 won by 10 wickets

Man of the Match: Anukul Sudhakar Roy