U19 World Cup: Pakistan, South Africa Finish Their Journey On A High

Pakistan and South Africa both signed off their ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup campaigns on a positive note with victories on Thursday. Two-time champions Pakistan eased past Sri Lanka in the fifth-placed playoff after the two sides chances of lifting the trophy ended at the quarter-final stage last week. Pakistan were in command from the off at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, with openers Muhammad Shehzad and Haseebullah Khan dominating the Sri Lanka attack.

The pair led Pakistan to 100 without loss, Shehzad eventually made 73 off just 69 deliveries before he was dismissed by vice-captain Raveen de Silva.

But Khan was joined at the crease by the impressive skipper Qasim Akram 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 gone when trapped by Matheesha Pathirana ending on 136.

Akram remained unbeaten as his side closed on 365/3, setting their opponents a daunting task to claim fifth place.

And 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 sides 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 pads