Qasim Akram couldn’t take Pakistan into the final of the U19 World Cup in the West Indies, but on Thursday, he made sure his team bowed out on a high. In their fifth Place Playoff match against Sri Lanka on February 3, the Boys in Green defeated Sri Lanka by a mammoth margin of 238 runs at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua.
Pakistan had slumped to a heavy loss to Cooper Connolly’s Australia in the Super League quarterfinals, but bowed out of the tournament on a high. After being put in to bat first, Muhammad Shehzad and Haseebullah Khan’s 134-run stand for the opening wicket put Pakistan in command. Shehzad took the attack to the bowlers with a 69-ball 73.
Khan also chipped in with a 151-ball knock of 136 with nine fours and two sixes. But it was skipper Akram’s belligerence that helped Pakistan cross the 300-run mark with relative ease. Akram stayed unbeaten on 135 off a mere 80 balls with the help of 13 fours and six massive sixes.
He was also involved in a 229-run partnership with Khan for the second wicket. Dunith Wellalage, Sri Lanka’s standout bowler in the event, couldn’t make a breakthrough and bowled at an economy rate of 7.20. Fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana got two wickets, but leaked runs at 7.75.
Qasim Akram shines as records tumble in Antigua
The target set of 366 set by Pakistan courtesy Shehzad, Khan and Akram’s brilliance turned out to be too hot too handle for the Lankans. Chasing the mammoth score, Sri Lanka were once reduced to 55 for seven in 16.1 overs and were in danger of not touching the three-figure mark.
However, Wellalage and Vinuja Ranpul’s 50-run stand for the eighth wicket took them past 100. Ranpul was impressive as he scored 53 runs at a strike rate of 91.38. In the meantime, Pakistan skipper Akram led from the front with the ball as well.
The right-arm off-break bowler picked up a five-wicket haul in his spell and broke the backbone of the opposition batting. He also became the first player with the double of a century and fifer in Youth ODIs. On the back of his all-round show, Pakistan bowled Lanka out for 127.
Here’s how the netizens reacted to Pakistan’s win
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 238 runs! 👏👏👏#TeamPakistan | #U19CWC | #PAKvSL pic.twitter.com/fW0ZXq0jq8
— PCB Official (@PCBofficials) February 4, 2022
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The first player in #U19CWC history to score a century and take a five-wicket haul in the same match 👏
Re-live Qasim Akram's record-breaking day: https://t.co/PSjdwSspam 📺 pic.twitter.com/DDlBilvo6E
Advertisement— ICC (@ICC) February 4, 2022
A history-making World Cup performance by Pakistan captain #QasimAkram #U19CWC what a Gem.@iramizraja need your supervision . He really deserves to be in @TheRealPCB . pic.twitter.com/b8iEpWVtbO
Advertisement— Manzoor Alvi (@ManzoorAlvi786) February 4, 2022
Qasim Akram is the first player in the history of U19 ODIs to score 100 and take 5 wickets in the same match! #U19CWC
Advertisement— #HBLPSL #PSL7 #PSL2022 #WIvENG (@ZAMohal46) February 4, 2022
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 238 runs, massive. Batting just couldn't touch the target against Pakistan & Afghanistan. Pakistan finish 5th with impressive performance by Haseeb in the tournament. Sri Lanka finish 6th due to their batting failures.#U19CWC#PAKvsSL
Advertisement— Saurav Yadav (@Sauravonpoint) February 4, 2022
Qasim Akram becomes first player in the history of U19 ODIs to score century and take five-wicket haul in the same match as Pakistan finished fifth in the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup 2022
AdvertisementRead more: https://t.co/AlWRyF2DQC#U19CWC #PAKvSL pic.twitter.com/pbfzZyoZMR
— Cricket Pakistan (@cricketpakcompk) February 4, 2022
Qasim Akram became the first player in the U19 World Cup to score a hundred and take a 5-wicket haul#U19CWC #U19CWC2022
— zen cricket (@zencrickit) February 4, 2022
Haseebullah Khan (136) and Qasim Akram (135*) made centuries as Pakistan U19 posted 365/3 as they beat Sri Lanka U19 by a massive 238 runs in the 5th place play-off. Qasim Akram picked 5/37 in his 10 over spell#U19CWC #U19CWC2022
— zen cricket (@zencrickit) February 4, 2022
Qasim Akram is the first player in the history of U19 ODIs to score 100 and take 5 wickets in the same match! #U19CWC
— Muhammad Abbas 🇵🇰 (@AbbasSays786) February 4, 2022
First player to make a hundred and claim a five-wicket haul in an #U19CWC match 🔥
Remember the name – @TheRealPCB#SLvPAK #Cricketpic.twitter.com/WO8nGm7f3v
— Rohit Fans (@RohitFans81) February 4, 2022
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