By Peter Della Penna
What
had been a sour tournament over the last two weeks for Team USA ended
on a sweet note when they registered their first win of the ICC U-19
World Cup with a nine-wicket demolition of Afghanistan in the Plate
Championship to finish in 15th place.
Pic (Right): Team USA poses
for a final time on the field at McLean Park in Napier, New Zealand
after notching their first win at the ICC U-19 World Cup.
[Courtesy: Peter Della Penna]
Hammad Shahid was named Man of the Match with 3 for 18 opening the
bowling for USA to set up victory as USA bowled out the opposition for
86 before chasing down the runs in 14.2 overs.
“It feels good actually getting a first win in the World Cup,” said Shahid.
Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first, but they could not
withstand USA’s attack led by Shahid. Afghanistan’s batting has
suffered all tournament after four of their top five batsmen defected
to Canada at the end of the World Cup Qualifier in Toronto last
September, including the second highest run-scorer in that event, Ayoub
Ahmadzai. Coming into this match, Afghanistan’s lowest total of the
World Cup was 118 in 49.2 overs against India. However, USA’s bowlers
teamed up to best that by 32 runs.
Shahid made the first two breakthroughs, getting Jawed Ahmadi clean
bowled for 5 before trapping Ahmadi’s opening partner Mehboob Shah Ayan
Aminzai LBW for 10 to make it 30 for 2 after eight overs. USA was
absolutely stoked in the field while Afghanistan completely capitulated
once the spin bowlers came on. The tweakers were led by Yash Shah, who
was making his first appearance for Team USA after leading all bowlers
in economy rate at the World Cup Qualifier in Toronto, and by Saqib
Saleem, who for the second tournament in a row was USA’s leading
wicket-taker, this time with 10. Shah built pressure with another
classic spell of tight bowling, finishing with 2 for 16 in nine overs
with three maidens.
“I just wanted to play in New Zealand to begin with,” said Shah. “I
just wanted to get the experience of playing in the World Cup. It was
unfortunate that I couldn’t get selected in the previous group stage’s
matches but I was happy to get this opportunity and prove myself that I
can do much better here too.”
Pic (Above): Henry Wardley and
Greg Sewdial receive congratulations from their teammates as they walk
off the field unbeaten. [Courtesy: Peter Della Penna]
While Shah tightened the screws, Saleem gleefully flighted the ball to
invite false strokes from the batsmen to finish with 3 for 20 in 6.2
overs. Khushal Rasooli led Afghanistan with 23 runs and was last man
out to Saleem, caught in the covers attempting a booming drive as
Afghanistan were all out in 32.2 overs for 86. The bowlers were all
well supported in the field as seven quality catches were taken, a far
cry from the first match between the two sides.
“The last game we played against Afghanistan, we dropped a lot of catches,” said Shahid. “Today, we took all our catches.”
Henry Wardley and Steven Taylor eased USA towards the target, which was
achieved before lunch. While Taylor once again belted the ball around
the ground, Wardley caressed it into the gaps to keep the scoreboard
ticking. Taylor fell for 30 going for a big heave, but Greg Sewdial
joined Wardley to finish the job with Sewdial finishing 14 not out and
Wardley unbeaten on 27.
USA finishes 1-4 overall in tournament play, with one washout against
Canada. While the overall result wasn’t exactly what the players and
fans were hoping for, the players were happy to end the tournament on a
winning note.
“I feel like we could have won the Plate, and I think we should have
won the Plate and if not, at least competing for the Plate,” said Shiva
Vashishat, USA U-19 captain. “But we had a loss against Ireland in our
groups, and then the rain and a couple things went against us. So that
really doesn’t show where we stand in the world and I think next time a
team is there, they’ll do a lot better.”
Official Scorecard
ICC U-19 World Cup Plate Championship: 15th/16th Place Match
Afghanistan vs. USA
USA won by 9 wickets
Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat
Man of the Match: Hammad Shahid
Afghanistan Batting
Batsman Runs Balls 4s 6s Dismissal
J Ahmadi 5 7 1 0 bowled Shahid
MSA Aminzai 10 16 2 0 LBW Shahid
NUH Malekzai* 22 46 4 0 ct Shahid bowled Ghous
SM Shirzai 0 8 0 0 ct Saleem bowled Ahmad
H Shahidi 7 13 0 0 ct Wardley bowled Shah
K Rasooli 23 49 3 0 ct Vashishat bowled Saleem
AK Zazai+ 1 29 0 0 ct Taylor+ bowled Saleem
Z Zaki 4 6 1 0 bowled Saleem
A Khan 0 4 0 0 ct Shahid bowled Shah
ID Khan 2 10 0 0 ct Sewdial bowled Shahid
A Alam 4 7 0 0 not out
Total Extras 8 (1 no ball, 0 byes, 2 leg byes, 5 wides)
Team Total 86 all out in 32.2 overs
Fall of Wicket: 6/1 (Ahmadi), 30/2 (Aminzai), 36/3 (Shirzai),
51/4 (Malekzai), 53/5 (Shahidi), 66/6 (Zazai), 74/7 (Zaki),
75/8 (A Khan), 78/9 (ID Khan), 86/10 (Rasooli).
USA Bowling Overs-Maidens-Runs-Wickets
SR Ahmad 7-0-27-1
H Shahid 7-1-18-3
YD Shah 9-3-16-2
MA Ghous 3-1-3-1
S Saleem 6.2-0-20-3
USA Batting
Batsman Runs Balls 4s 6s Dismissal
SR Taylor+ 30 24 5 0 bowled ID Khan
HR Wardley 27 46 2 0 not out
GR Sewdial 14 17 2 0 not out
Total Extras 16 (2 no balls, 0 byes, 4 leg byes, 10 wides)
Team Total 87 for 1 in 14.2 overs
Did not bat: S Saleem, RG Corns, S Vashishat, A Mohammed, MA Ghous,
H Shahid, SR Ahmad, YD Shah.
Fall of Wicket: 49/1 (Taylor).
Afghanistan Bowling Overs-Maidens-Runs-Wickets
A Alam 4-0-26-0
ID Khan 5-0-25-1
Z Zaki 3-0-10-0
A Khan 2-0-18-0
NUH Malekzai 0.2-0-0-4