Pakistan U19s produced a devastating performance to thrash England by 102 runs in the Tri-Nation Final at Trent Bridge.

Toss: Pakistan U19s won the toss and elected to bat

Teams:

Pakistan U19s: Sami Aslam, HUssain Talat, Imam-Ul-Haq, Shayan Jahangir, Kamran Ghulam, Hasan Raza, Farhan Nazir, Zafar Gohar, Saifullah Khan, Zia-Ul-Haq, Mohammad Aftan

England U19s: Tattersall, Finch, Higgins, Duckett, Rhodes, McManus, Hammond, Winslade, Shaw, Fisher, Carver


Pakistan U19s innings

Pakistan came to Trent Bridge looking to extend their unbeaten run in the tournament and win the final after their thrilling defeat of the same opposition on Friday. The made one change to their team with Shayan Jahangir coming in for Rafay Ahmed.

Sami Aslam won the toss and had no hesitation in electing to bat first on a good strip in sunny conditions. Both openers started well, Sami in particular playing some rasping cover drives. The partnership had reached 24 when Talat looked to launch Matthew Fisher out of the ground and could only edge it to the keeper. That brought Imam-Ul-Haq to the crease, who also looked decent before being given out caught behind also. He didn’t look too happy with the decision but it left Pakistan 70-2 after 15 overs.

Meanwhile, Sami Aslam continued to show why he is rated so highly. He looked at ease against both pace and spin, and brought up an excellent half century off 61 balls with four boundaries. He had been joined by Shayan Jahangir who looked in supreme touch himself, playing two gorgeous back foot drives that rocketed to the point fence. Their partnership crossed 50 and at the halfway point in the innings, Pakistan were 130-2, an excellent platform to build from.

Sami brought up a magnificent century with a push down to long on, while Jahangir took on the role of the aggressor and hit a couple of huge sixes. He eased past 50 and fully justified his selection in the team.The pair put on 163 before Jahangir edged one behind and Ben Duckett took a sharp catch behind the stumps. Aslam followed soon after caught at deep square leg for 110 with the score on 239, and it was up to the lower order to attack in the last 10 overs.

Enter Kamran Ghulam, who earlier in the tournament had hit a rapid century, and he set about hitting England’s bowlers to all parts. Hasan Raza fell for 26 and Farhan Nazir was out cheaply, but Ghulam smashed 50 off just 25 balls to take Pakistan’s total to a mammoth 343-6 from 50 overs. He finished unbeaten on 61 off 32 balls with 8 fours and 2 sixes, enhancing his reputation as a potential hitter for the Pakistan senior team.


England U19s Innings

It was always going to be a huge challenge for England to chase down such a huge total, especially when both openers fell in the first ten overs. Mohammad Aftab got one to climb on Harry Finch and the batsman could only glove it down leg-side where Saifullah Khan took a magnificent catch. Jonathan Tattersall played some nice drives but a short one from Aftab did for him. He mis-hit it towards mid-on where Zia-Ul-Haq took an excellent running catch to leave England 28-2 after 10 overs. 

The spin show started thereafter. First Kamran Ghulam got one through the gate of Ben Duckett before Rhodes, McManus and Hammond all fell to Zafar Gohar. The left arm spinner got sharp turn from the Trent Bridge pitch and England’s batsmen had no clue at all. The number 3, Ryan Higgins, however looked a class apart and managed to show some fight as the others crumbled around him. He brought up an excellent 50 off 63 balls but wickets continued to fall at the other end. Hussain Talat dismissed Winslade and Shaw and showed off his full repertoire of wicket celebrations

Zafar Gohar picked up his 4th wicket when he dismissed Fisher, and Talat wrapped things up in style by taking out Karl Carver's off stump, and Pakistan won by 192 runs.


Match Summary:

A fantastic performance from Pakistan U19s, not just today but throughout the whole tournament as they remained unbeaten from seven games. After the close contest on Friday, they came out all guns blazing today and demolished England. In Sami Aslam they have someone who is almost certain to appear for Pakistan sooner rather than later, and Zia-Ul-Haq, Zafar Gohar, Imam-Ul-Haq and Kamran Ghulam will no doubt be on the radar of the national selectors in the coming years.