ICC U-19 World Cup: Australia crushes Afghanistan to reach final

Australia lost the toss, but overcame the apparent disadvantage of being inserted with ease, bowling out Afghanistan for 181. Ikram Ali Khil’s brilliant 119-ball 80 apart, Afghanistan will be disappointed with, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 20 being the next high score. 

Under overcast skies and windy conditions, Jonathan Merlo, the Australia quick, ran riot, returning a brilliant 4/24 that took the stuffing out of Afghanistan. Too many of its batsmen were guilty of chasing deliveries wide on the on-side, with as many as three of them dismissed caught down leg.

Afghanistan’s plan was good enough though. It hoped to do a repeat of its performance against New Zealand – bat solidly, consolidate in the middle overs, launch at the death. This time around it started well enough, but weren’t able to hold its own in the middle overs. It lost Ibrahim Zadran early, the batsman miscuing an attempt at a hook. Gurbaz hung around though, adding 37 with Ali Khil before becoming the first batsman to be caught down leg off Merlo.

Ali Khil sealed up one end, and found the fence as much as he could, but the wickets flowed at the other. Bahir Shah (4), who scored an unbeaten half-century in the last match, was the second to be caught down leg, off Merlo again. 

Darwish Rasooli (2), of whom much was expected this tournament, again failed to deliver, trapped in front after missing a flick off Merlo. Nisar Wahdat (11) didn’t last long either, Merlo cleaning him up. All the while, Ali Khil kept the scoreboard ticking to take Afghanistan past the 100mark first, and then add as much as possible. 

By the time he was dismissed, returning a catch to Lloyd Pope in the 41st over, he had contributed to almost 55% of Afghanistan’s total at the time – 146/7. Mujeeb Zadran swung his bat around to score an unbeaten 12, boosting Afghanistan to 181.