U-19 World Cup: Afghanistan through to quarterfinals

Afghanistan qualified for the quarterfinals of the U-19 World Cup, beating Sri Lanka by 32 runs in a rain-affected game in Whangerai.

Published : Jan 17, 2018 17:49 IST

Afghan skipper Naveen-ul-Haq scalped four wickets for 35 runs, while Azmatullah Omarzai and Qais Ahmad picked up two wickets each.
Afghan skipper Naveen-ul-Haq scalped four wickets for 35 runs, while Azmatullah Omarzai and Qais Ahmad picked up two wickets each.
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Afghan skipper Naveen-ul-Haq scalped four wickets for 35 runs, while Azmatullah Omarzai and Qais Ahmad picked up two wickets each.

Afghanistan qualified for the quarterfinals of the U-19 World Cup, beating Sri Lanka by 32 runs in a rain-affected game in Whangerai.

Sri Lanka skipper won the toss and decided to field first. Put in to bat, Afghanistan rode on a 86-run knock of its opening batsman Ibrahim Zadran to post 284-7 in 50 overs.

Hard-hitting Darwish Rasooli, who was the player of the match against Pakistan U19 in the side’s previous game, scored his second consecutive half-century.

In reply, Sri Lanka did not have the best of the starts as it first suffered a blow in the first over of the innings when the opening batsman, D Lakshan, was run out on two. Rain interrupted play twice at Cobham Oval, Whangarei that resulted in the revision of target to 235 runs in 38 overs, under the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Afghan skipper Naveen-ul-Haq scalped four wickets for 35 runs, while Azmatullah Omarzai and Qais Ahmad picked up two wickets each.

New Zealand in quarters

A scintillating double-century stand between New Zealand openers Jakob Bhula and Rachin Ravindra lit up the Hagley Oval as several records were broken during the Group A match against Kenya which the host won by a huge margin of 243 runs in Christchurch, to make it to quarters.

Bhula’s innings of 180 was the highest individual innings in the history of U-19 ODIs, while his 245 runs first wicket partnership with Ravindra (117) was the best-ever opening stand in U-19 World Cup.

The opening wicket partnership set the tone for more onslaught as Finn Allen joined the party with a belligerent 90 that resulted in New Zealand notching a mammoth 436 for four, the second highest total in U-19 World Cup.

South Africa too in quarters

In another Group A match, Wandile Makwetu scored a run-a-ball 99 not out and fast bowler Hermann Rolfes took four wickets to help 2014 champions South Africa defeat defending champion the Windies by 76 runs. The result means New Zealand and South Africa have progressed to the Super League after two successive wins, while the Windies and Kenya, following back-to-back defeats, will now feature in the Plate Championship.

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