Pakistan’s Sami Aslam and captain Babar Azam shared an opening stand of 143 runs to set the foundation for a 54-run victory over South Africa in the third Cricket South Africa (CSA) Under-19 triangular series match at Coetzenburg in Stellenbosch on Friday.
Aslam scored a speedy 112 runs off 133 balls while Azam scored 52 off 70 balls in a partnership that frustrated the hosts, who had won the toss and elected to put them in to bat on a bleak and grey morning.
Azam’s was the first wicket to fall in the 28th over after South Africa’s bowlers were held at bay by 17-year-old Aslam and 18-year-old Azam. It was the talented bowling of Shaylen Pillay that finally put an end to the partnership which had a stranglehold on South Africa. Nearly three overs later, Faraz Ali was run out by Chad Bowes for four.
Aslam was joined by Adnan Mehmood and together shared a 61-run partnership before Rabian Engelbrecht took the first of his three wickets for the day. Englebrecht had yet another good game, returning with the best bowling figures of 3/38 while Lesiba Ngoepe returned 3/47 in 10 overs.
Pakistan ended their innings with a competitive 260/9.
South Africa had a faltering start when they lost star batsman and captain Quinton de Kock for just four runs in the first over, being caught behind off Ehsan Adil. The nightmare continued when Gihahn Cloete lost his wicket in the eighth over, trapped leg before by Zia-ul-Haq. Diego Rosier (52) and Chad Bowes (63) shared the most successful partnership of the South African innings, scoring 110 runs between them before Rosier was dismissed by Usman Qadir, who returned figures of 3/53 in 8.5 overs.
After that, it was Mohammad Nawas who unsettled the South African batsmen, taking the wicket of Bowes as well as Theunis de Bruyn (5), Jan Frylinck (1), Shaylen Pillay (16) and Rabian Engelbrecht (5) to complete an impressive 5/33 in 10 overs and to help his side to a 54-run victory.
Tomorrow, Pakistan enjoy a rest day as South Africa look to redeem themselves in a match against Zimbabwe at the iconic Sahara Park Newlands.
