KARACHI, Pakistan (CMC):
ALI ASAD lashed a fiery unbeaten half century that vaulted Pakistan's Under-19 team to a four-wicket victory over the West Indies Under-19s with more than two overs to spare in their Youth World Cup Under-19 one-day practice match at the National Stadium yesterday.
Sent to bat, West Indies gathered 254 for eight off their 50 overs and could not prevent the home side from motoring to 255 for six off 47.3 overs, with Asad and Sarfraz Ahmed getting the job done through unbeaten half centuries. Pakistan take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.
The West Indies, who beat a Pakistan Select Under-19 team in their tour opener on Friday, saw three of their top seven batsmen getting starts without going on to post a sizeable score against the defending Youth World Cup (YWC) champions.
Captain Leon Johnson stroked a watchful 49, from 100 balls, with four boundaries and
steadied the West Indies innings that appeared wobbly at one stage when they had lost Richard Ramdeen (1) and William Perkins (25) to be 43 for two.
Kieron Pollard cracked a blistering 52 off 49 balls with four fours and three sixes, while Gajanand Singh, with 41 off 53 balls and Andre McCarthy 32 off 25 balls also made swift and valuable contributions for the touring side.
Opening bowlers Anwar Ali (2-48) and Jamshed Ahmed (2-50) were the chief wicket-takers for Pakistan.
Asad then lashed a 77-ball 70 that contained eight fours and saw the Pakistanis through to a four-wicket win.
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The home side were stuttering at 154 for six in their chase of 255 to win, with Sharmarh Brooks picking up three wickets with his off-breaks. But Asad found a reliable partner in Sarfraz Ahmed with whom he put on an unbroken match-winning stand of 101. Ahmed hit 52 off 55 balls and Mohammad Ibrahim had also made a strong contribution - of 65 batting at No.3 - in the victory.
Brooks finished with three for 34 off 10 overs and the other wicket-takers for the West Indies were spinner Rishi Bachan (1-46) and pacer Javon Searles (1-54).
Both teams are preparing for next month's YWC in Sri Lanka.
West Indies, the runners-up to Pakistan at the last YWC in 2004 (Bangladesh), are in Group B with South Africa, Australia and the USA, for the February 5-19 YWC.
Pakistan will contest Group A with New Zealand, Bangladesh, and Uganda, while Group C comprises hosts Sri Lanka, India, Scotland and Namibia, and Group D will have England, Zimbabwe, Ireland and Nepal.
Dominica's Billy Doctrove and Roger Dill, of Bermuda, are among the umpires listed for the two-week tournament.
