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Pakistan complete record run chase to dim Sri Lanka’s semi hopes
REX CLEMENTINE in Hyderabad
Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign is in shambles. Their bowlers have run out of ideas to contain teams and this could be a painful tournament for the former champions. On Saturday, in Delhi, Sri Lanka won the toss and put South Africa in and conceded the most runs in a World Cup game. On Tuesday, Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first and then saw Pakistan completing the highest successful run chase in World Cup history.
Given the fact that they will be playing New Zealand, England and India in the smaller grounds of Bangalore and Bombay, this could be a tough a campaign for their bowlers.
Abdullah Shaifuqe always scores big against Sri Lanka and making his debut, the opening batsman posted 113 off 103 balls but the day belonged to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, who battled cramps to post an unbeaten 131 off 121 balls, his career best score.
At 37 for two, with Babar Azam back in the pavilion, it looked to be Sri Lanka’s game, but Abdullah and Babar were unstoppable adding 176 runs for the third wicket that took the game away from them.
Matheesha Pathirana was short on confidence and conceded 90 runs that included 18 wides.
Earlier, a stunning knock by Kusal Mendis enabled Sri Lanka to post their third highest total in World Cups – 344.
No team had successfully chased that many in the history of World Cup with Ireland’s 329 for seven against England in Bangalore being the highest.
It was Sri Lanka’s highest total in World Cups against a full member country. They had posted 398 for five against Kenya in 1996 and 363 for nine against Scotland in 2015 in Hobart.
It was some maniac hitting by Mendis and he’s now the second highest run scorer in this World Cup with 198 runs with Mohammad Rizwan ahead with 199 runs. Sri Lanka would be hoping that he keeps firing in a bid to have a chance to make it to the semis.
In the process, Mendis broke Kumar Sangakkara’s Sri Lankan record for the fastest century in World Cups. Sanga scored a hundred off 70 balls against England in 2015 in Wellington. Mendis reached the milestone in 65 balls.
Mendis’ 122 came off 77 balls with 14 fours and six sixes.
Sadeera Samarawickrama too scored a maiden ODI hundred, but his effort was overshadowed by Mendis.
Nevertheless, it was a crucial knock. Mendis was dismissed in the 29th over and Charith Asalanka soon followed in the 31st. With so many overs left, Sri Lanka were facing the danger of getting bowled out inside 50 overs as it had happened time and again given their long tail.
Sadeera brought up Sri Lanka’s 300 with a superb inside out shot for six off left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz. His hundred came off 82 balls with 11 fours and a six.
SCORECARD
| Sri Lanka innings Pathum Nissanka c Abdullah b Shadab 51 Kusal Perera c Rizwan b Hasan 0 Kusal Mendis c Imam b Hasan 122 Sadeera Samarawickrama c Rizwan b Hasan 108 Charith Asalanka c Rizwan b Hasan 1 Dhananjaya de Silva c Shaheen b Nawaz 25 Dasun Shanaka c Babar b Afridi 12 Dunith Wellalage c Shafique b Rauf 10 Maheesh Theekshana b Rauf 0 Matheesha Pathirana not out 1 Extras: (b 2, lb 2, nb 1, w 9) 14 Total: (for nine wickets) 344 Overs: 50 Did not bat: Dilshan Madushanka. Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Perera), 2-107 (Nissanka), 3-218 (Mendis), 4-229 (Asalanka), 5-294 (de Silva), 6-324 (Shanaka), 7-335 (Samarawickrama), 8-343 (Theekshana), 9-344 (Wellalage). Bowling: Shaheen Afridi 9-0-66-1 (w 4), Hasan Ali 10-0-71-4 (w 3), (nb 1), Mohammad Nawaz 9-0-62-1, Haris Rauf 10-0-64-2 (w 1), Shadab Khan 8-0-55-1, Ifthikar Ahmed 4-0-22-0 (w 1).
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Pakistan innings Abdullah Shafique c sub b Pathirana 113 Imam-ul-Haq c Perera b Madushanka 12 Babar Azam c Samarawickrama b Madushanka 10 Mohammad Rizwan not out 131 Saud Shakeel c Wellalage b Theekshana 31 Iftikar Ahmed not out 22 Extras: (w 25, nb 1) 26 Total: (for four wickets) 345 Overs: 48.2 Did not bat: Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasah Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf. Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Imam), 2-37 (Babar), 3-213 (Abdullah), 4-308 (Shakeel). Bowling: Maheesh Theekshana 10-0-59-1 (w 5), Dilshan Madushanka 9.2-0-60-2 (nb 1) (w 2), Dasun Shanaka 5-0-28-0, Matheesha Pathirana 9-0-90-1 (w 18), Dunith Wellalage 10-0-62-0, Dhananjaya de Silva 4-0-36-0, Charith Asalanka 1-0-10-0.
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U – 19 World Cup: Sri Lanka beat Ireland by 106 runs
In Windhoek, Sri Lanka strode to 267 for 5, with Vimath Dinsara hitting 95, and Chamika Heenatigala hitting 51. That pair put on a 100-run partnership for the fifth wicket, but there had also been a solid contribution from Kavija Gamage, who made 49. Ireland seamer Oliver Riley who took 2 for 51, dismissing top-scorer Dinsara and also Viran Chamuditha, who had made 192 in the last match.
But Ireland were timid in response. Behind the required rate from early in the piece, they also lost frequent wickets. They were struggling at 66 for 2 in the 19th over, but were soon 96 for 6 in the 27th over, the match essentially having slipped away. They were eventually dismissed for 161 in the 41st over. The right-arm seamers did the damage for Sri Lanka, Rasith Nimsara taking 3 for 29, and Dulnith Sigera claiming 4 for 19.
This victory puts Sri Lanka at the top of Group A, with a Net Run Rate of 3.090 – the best in the tournament so far.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka Under 19s 267 for 5 in 50 overs (Vimath Dinsara 95, Kavija Gamage 49, Chamika Heenatigala 51*; Oliver Riley 2-51) beat Ireland Under 19s 161 in 40.1 overs (Callum Armstrong 39; Rasith Nimsara 3-29, Dulnith Sigera 4-19) by 106 runs
(Cricinfo)
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U – 19 World Cup: Rowles, Bulbulia star in South Africa’s big win over Tanzania
South Africa monstered the Tanzania side over in Windhoek, Muhammed Bulbulia and Jason Rowles hitting hundreds to get South Africa to 397 for 5, before their bowlers blasted Tanzania out for 68.
Tanzania had begun encouragingly, although South Africa were always scoring quickly. They had taken two South Africa wickets inside the first 14 overs, and had South Africa at 93 for 2 at one stage. But then Bulbulia and Rowles came together, to take the game rapidly away from the opposition, with a 201-run partnership that came off 176 balls.
Rowles was the more aggressive of the pair in the end, clobbering five sixes and ten fours in his 125 not out off 101 deliveries. Bulbulia hit one six and ten fours in his run-a-ball 108. Paul James also produced a rollicking finishing knock, crashing five sixes and two fours in his 46 off 18.
Tanzania could not get off the blocks in the chase. South Africa took their first wicket in the second over, and just did not stop striking, the wickets spread between all five bowlers used.
Rowles added to his outstanding performance by claiming two wickets for 14 with his left-arm spin. Bayanda Majola also took two wickets, for six runs.
Brief scores:
South Africa Under-19s 397 for 5 in 50 overs (Jason Rowles 125, Muhammed Bulbulia 108, Jorich Van Schalkwyk 47, Paul James 46; Simba Mbaki 2-85) beat Tanzania Under-19s 68 in 32.2 overs (Simba Mbaki 17; Bayanda Majola 2-6, Jason Rowles 2-14) by 329 runs
(Cricibfo)
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U – 19 World Cup: Raza, Usman steer Pakistan to victory over Scotland
Pakistan quick Ali Raza rattled Scotland with his pace early on, before left-arm wristspinner Momin Qamar helped take down the middle order. Scotland showed some mettle, particularly during a 68-run seventh-wicket partnership that raised their total to a creditable 187.
But it was clear they were outgunned. Many Scotland batters were uncomfortable against Ali’s pace, and struggled to read Pakistan’s wristspinners. Raza deservedly emerged with the game’s best figures, taking 4 for 37 – two of those wickets having come in a memorable first over. Qamar took 3 for 46. Scotland’s highest scorer was captain Thomas Knight, who ground out a 72-ball 37, before Qamar slipped a beautifully-flighted delivery past his defences.
Despite some gutsy batting from Finlay Jones and Manu Saraswat down the order, Scotland always seemed headed to a sub-par score, even given the seamer-friendly conditions in Harare. When they lost two wickets in the first over – Raza bowling Theo Robinson and Max Chaplin with outstanding deliveries – they were in danger of being skittled quickly. But they battled through until the 49th over.
Pakistan’s chase was mostly straightforward. Scotland’s seamers got some movement with the new ball, and Ollie Jones was able to extract two wickets by the 12th over. But No. 3 batter Usman Khan struck 75, and Ahmed Hussain – who had earlier taken a sublime catch – joined him for a 111-run stand that made the game safe. They got home with six wickets to spare, in the 44th over.
Brief scores:
Pakistan Under-19s 190 for 4 in 43.1 9vers (Usman Khan 75, Ahmed Hussain 47; Ollie Jones 2-41, Manu Saraswat 2-46) beat Scotland Under-19s 187 in 48.1 overs (Thomas Knight 37; Ali Raza 4-37, Momin Qamar 3-46, Abdul Subhan 2-36) by six wickets
(Cricinfo)
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