In the U19 World Cup clash in East London, South Africa, Pakistan secured a commanding victory over New Zealand by 10 wickets, clinching the top spot in Group D.
The Pakistani team chased down the target of 140 runs with ease, thanks to Shahzaib Khan’s exceptional unbeaten knock of 80 runs, well-supported by Shamyl Hussain’s solid contribution of 57*.
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New Zealand opted to bat first, but they faced early challenges from Pakistani bowler Ubaid Shah. Ubaid’s opening spell caused trouble for the Kiwi batters, leading to disruptions in their batting lineup. Luke Watson fell victim to an outstanding delivery from Ubaid, losing his off-stump early in the innings.
Tom Jones managed to hit a few boundaries but was eventually dismissed by Ubaid’s delivery that moved significantly, resulting in a thick edge caught by the wicketkeeper. Snehith Reddy also fell to Ubaid, losing his middle stump in the same over.
Despite a brief partnership between Oscar Jackson and Ollie Tewatiya, New Zealand struggled to build a substantial total. Mohammad Zeeshan’s well-pitched delivery removed Jackson, and Naveed Khan’s strikes further dented the Kiwi innings.
Lachlan Stackpole’s aggressive innings provided some resistance, but his dismissal by Naveed Khan turned the game in Pakistan’s favor. The remaining Kiwi batters couldn’t withstand the pressure, and they were bowled out for 140 runs.
In response, Pakistan’s opening pair of Shamyl Hossain and Shahzaib Khan set the stage for a comfortable chase. Shahzaib took charge of the run-scoring, maintaining a brisk run rate throughout the innings. The Pakistani team reached the target in the 26th over without losing any wickets, consolidating their position at the top of the table.
Before this match, Pakistan had defeated Nepal by five wickets and Afghanistan by a massive margin of 181 runs in their previous encounters in the ICC tournament.
