Pakistan and South Africa finish ICC U-19 World Cup on a high

Pakistan and South Africa both signed off their U-19 World Cup campaigns with contrasting victories. Pakistan eased past Sri Lanka in the fifth place playoff after the two sides' chances of lifting the trophy ended at the quarterfinal stage last week. While elsewhere in Antigua, South Africa finish in seventh place after a closely fought two-wicket victory over Bangladesh. Skipper Qasim Akram shines for PakistanPakistan were in command from the off at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, with openers Muhammad Shehzad and Haseebullah Khan (136) dominating the Sri Lanka attack. The pair led Pakistan to 100 without loss, Shehzad eventually made 73 before he was dismissed by Raveen de Silva.

But Khan was joined at the crease by the impressive skipper Qasim Akram (135 off 80) and the two took the game away from Sri Lanka, putting on a superb stand. Both made centuries and took Pakistan beyond 350, Khan was finally trapped by Matheesha Pathirana. Akram remained unbeaten as his side closed on 365-3. The Sri Lankan response was in tatters after just two overs with Akram wreaking havoc with the new ball. The talented all-rounder removed openers Chamindu Wickramasinghe and Pawan Pathiraja for a combined total of just one, with Shevon Daniel also falling between the two. Ranuda Somarathna also went for a duck with Akram single-handedly reducing Sri Lanka to 4-15.

From then on Sri Lanka were purely batting for pride. Their captain Dunith Wellalage didn't go without a fight and made a brave 40, which included five boundaries. Vinuja Ranpul was in similarly defiant mood hitting 53 not out and his side's only two sixes of the match. But it wasn't enough and Pakistan cleaned up a 238-run victory when Treveen Mathew was hit on the