Fourth Youth ODI Haider, Rohail guide Pakistan U-19

Haider Ali

Opener Haider Ali and Skipper Rohail Nazir cracked match winning half centuries to guide the touring Pakistan Under-19 to a comfortable seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka Under-19 in the fourth Youth ODI played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Hambantota yesterday.

With this win, Pakistan Under-19 took an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the series with one match to be played.

Haider made an unbeaten 93 in only 95 balls that included seven boundaries and a six while Skipper Rohail hit 69 in 75 balls which had eight boundaries.

The pair also put on 117 runs in just 72 balls for the second wicket and later Haider was associated in an unbroken 68-run stand for the fourth-wicket with Qasim Akram as Pakistan Under-19 reached their target in the 35th over.

Earlier, Sri Lanka Under-19 lost their top four wickets with just 94 runs on the board at the halfway stage of the innings after Skipper Kamil Mishara had won the toss and elected to take first lease of the wicket. 

Opener Thaveesha Abishek made a top score of 64 and shared a 61-run stand for the fifth-wicket along with Avishka Tharindu.
The fifth and final Youth ODI will be played on June 5 at the same venue.

Sri Lanka U-19: 195/8 in 50 overs (Thaveesha Abishek 64, Avishka Tharindu 50, Shiraz Khan 2/34, Mohammad Wasim 2/42)

Pakistan U-19: 196/3 in 34.5 overs (Rohail Nazir 69 n.o, Haider Ali 93 n.o, Qasim Akram 29 n.o). 

-MSA