Doha: Afghanistan won the 2014 ACC U-16 Elite League yesterday by beating Hong Kong to top the table on the final day of the tournament.
Both teams were unbeaten in the tournament going into yesterday’s match and whichever them won the encounter would go on to win the league.
Right from the moment captain Yousaf Zazai called it correctly at the toss, it was clear that the day belonged to Afghanistan. Their batsmen played powerful, surging cricket and took them to 216 off their 40 overs. Hong Kong lost a wicket on the first ball of their innings and never recovered as leg-spinner Abdul Wasi took 5 wickets for 19 runs.
A crowd of 500 Afghan supporters cheered their team on.
“We’ve worked solidly for four months for this. We had national trials across all the regions, chose 270 boys, then 54, then did the bone-tests (age verification) until we had our final 14,” said Afghan coach Khaliqdad Noori. “The Afghanistan Cricket Board and Dr Noor did a lot of work.”
With this victory Afghanistan continue their run of ACC tournament successes.
After posting 293 against Iran on Sunday, yesterday Hong Kong were on the receiving end of some fierce hitting and aggressive fielding and pace-bowling. At one stage it looked like Afghanistan could be kept to 180 but the last five overs of the Afghanistan innings produced 52 runs, the ball flying to all parts.
A run-out on the first ball of Hong Kong’s innings put them on the back foot and when captain Subramanyam was “Waqared” by his counterpart Yousaf Zazai and had to limp off in the seventh over, left shoe in hand and unable to return, Hong Kong were in deep trouble.
Zazai, for all his pace and fire went wicket-less, but Abdul Wasi’s fizz and guile paid dividend. Hong Kong were febrile against the turn, and though some positive strokes were attempted, failed to score even a single for long stretches
They played with smiles on their faces and there was joy to the cricket of the Afghans. Hong Kong’s talented players were just brushed aside and soon the tribal drums and bagpipes came onto the field and the dancing began.
During the presentations, Yousaf took time to ask after Jhatavedh’s health as Afghanistan emerged worthy winners.
THE PENINSULA
