Ahmed the hero as Pakistan U19s level series
our correspondent
DERBY: Opener Ahmed Shahzad was the hero as Pakistan Under-19s put up an impressive display of batting while beating England Under-19s on the final day of their second and final, four-day Youth Test match, here at the County Ground on Monday by a narrow margin of three wickets.
Pakistan, who thus levelled the two-match rubber at one-all, had been left with a seemingly impossible task of making 342 runs for victory in the fourth innings. That they managed to do so, and in style, was a testament to their improving batting attitude and strength.
The first Youth Test at Scarborough had ended in an innings and 58 runs victory for the hosts, with Pakistan falling for modest scores twice and the match ending with a full day to spare.
Ahmed Shahzad, who had captained Pakistan Under-19s on their tour of Australia in April this year, doesn’t turn 16 until November. He played the innings of his short cricketing career, with a magnificent knock of 167 that came in just over six hours as he faced 260 balls and hit 16 fours.
Pakistan were off to a brisk 64-run start on Sunday afternoon through vice-captain Shan Masood (34) and Ahmed in a mere 49 minutes. Yesterday, they resumed at their overnight 102-2 and Ahmed and Taimur Ali (22) added 54 runs for the third wicket.
Usman Salahuddin contributed an invaluable 42, off 135 balls with three fours, as the fourth-wicket stand was worth 103 runs. First innings hero Ali Asad followed his 87 with a first-ball duck, but skipper Imad Wasim helped steady the ship.
Ahmed was sixth out at 309, with 33 still required. However, he and the left-handed Imad had scored 66 runs for the sixth-wicket partnership. Imad remained not out till the end, making 36 runs off 113 balls in two hours 21 minutes with three hits to the rope. The two teams now embark upon a five-match Youth One-day Internationals series, with the first match being played at Denis Compton Oval in Shenley on Wednesday (tomorrow).
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