Australia beat Pak to reach Sunday’s final against India through last pair after pacer Tom Straker strikes with 6-24
Australia’s Tom Straker (centre) celebrates the wicket of Pakistan’s Shamyl Hussain during the U-19 World Cup semi-final against Pakistan at Willowmoore Park in Benoni, South Africa, yesterday. Pic/Getty Images
Tom Straker’s six-wicket haul and Harry Dixon’s fifty inspired Australia to a tense one-wicket victory over brave Pakistan in the semifinal here on Thursday, setting up their ICC Under-19 World Cup final against defending champions India.
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The summit clash will be played at the same venue on Sunday. Pakistan made a below par 179, built around two half-centuries by Arafat Minhas (52) and Azan Awais (52) as they struggled against pacer Straker (6-24).
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Dixon leads chase for Oz
Despite having their own struggles against spirited Pakistan bowlers, the Aussies managed to reach 181 for 9 in 49.1 overs to seal the final berth with Dixon (50, 75b, 5x4) and Oliver Peake (49, 75b, 3x4) leading their chase. While India will be playing their ninth title match, the Aussies are appearing in their sixth final.
India have won a record five titles while Australia have bagged three titles, and the last time the Yellow Brigade lifted the trophy was in 2010 with a win over Pakistan. That edition was held in New Zealand.
Not a smooth win
However, Australia’s win was anything but smooth as a bunch of determined Pakistan bowlers made them stretch for every single run.
Australian openers Dixon and Sam Konstas (14) added 33 runs but they lost four wickets while adding 26 runs in 6.2 overs that pushed them into a tight corner.
Not many teams relish the pressure situation better than the Aussies and they brought out that quality to the fore here too. Without the burden of asking rate behind their back, the Aussies middle-order concentrated on collecting the runs through nurdles and nudges interspersed with the odd boundary.
Dixon, who made his third fifty of the tournament, and Peake milked 43 runs for the fifth wicket in a shade over 10 overs that kept the Aussies firmly in the hunt.
But left-arm spinner Minhas snapped the partnership, castling Dixon with a sharply-spun ball that clipped the bails off. But Peake and Tom Campbell (25, 42b, 2x4) guided the Aussies forward adding 44 runs in a little over 11 overs without taking any undue risks.
However, a moment of pure magic from Arafat ended the blossoming stand, as the Pakistan spinner rattled Campbell’s off-stump with an arm ball. Pakistan soon inflicted an even bigger blow through impressive 15-year-old pacer Ali Raza who had Peake caught behind down the leg side.
Brief scores
Pakistan 179 all out in 48.5 overs (A Minhas 52, A Awais 52; T Straker 6-24) lost to Australia 181-9 in 49.1 overs (H Dixon 50, O Peake 49; A Raza 4-34) by one wicket
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