The Pakistan U19 men's cricket team registered an emphatic 191-run win over the UAE U19 team to qualify for the final of the ongoing tri-series and will now take on Afghanistan in the title clash. Naveed Ahmed Khan was awarded the Player of the Match (POTM) for his excellent bowling spell of 3/17 in his 10 overs.
Pakistan's batting line-up set up the foundation for the win. Openers Usman Khan and Shahzaib Khan added 96 runs for the first wicket. Usman scored 50 off 64 deliveries with the help of four boundaries. On the other hand, Shahzaib was more aggressive as he struck five fours and two sixes during his 84-ball 71.
Farhan Yousaf (63 off 50 balls) and Haroon Arshad (54 runs off 34 balls) capitalised on the strong start and provided stability in the middle overs. Pakistan posted 314 runs in their 50 overs.
In reply, the UAE batters looked hapless against the pace of the Pakistan fast bowlers. Barring Noorullah Ayubi (28 off 44 balls) and Uddish Suri (32* off 61 balls) none of the other UAE batters put up a fight and could only manage to post 123 on the board before getting bundled out in the 37th over.
The Saad Baig-led side is in imperious form and therefore the final against Afghanistan will be an interesting one.
Azhar Ali appointed PCB's head of Youth Development
Azhar expressed happiness on his appointment and mentioned that "grassroots development" plays an integral role in "shaping future stars" and acts as a feeder line to the senior team.
“I am honoured and excited to take on this important role," Azhar was quoted as saying in a press release. "Having risen through the age-group ranks and played extensive club and domestic cricket, I understand the critical role grassroots development plays in shaping future stars.
“Significant strides have already been made in this area and I look forward to working with my colleagues to further elevate our youth development programme further. Our goal is to identify promising talent and equip them with the tools to excel at the highest level.”
