Pakistan decides to bat first against India in U19 World Cup semi-final

Monitoring Desk

POTCHEFSTROOM: Pakistan have on Tuesday won the toss against arch-rivals India and decided to bat first in the ICC U19 World Cup semi-final at the Senwes Park, Potchefstroom.

Pakistan skipper Rohail Nazir said, “We’re going to bat first because it’s a semi-final game. We have to put a good score on the board and defend it. It’s time to make a mark in the big game, especially for us experienced players in the team. I think this match is always a bigger one, hopefully we have a good match today and play good cricket.”

The Green Shirts are playing with the same team that played Afghanistan in quarter-final.

India captain Priyam Garg said, “Very happy to bowl first. India-Pakistan matches are more hyped by the crowd than the players.”

India have also not made any change.

Squads

Pakistan: Haider Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Rohail Nazir (capt, wk), Fahad Munir, Qasim Akram, Mohammad Haris, Irfan Khan, Abbas Afridi, Tahir Hussain, Amir Ali, Mohammad Amir Khan

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Divyaansh Saxena, Tilak Verma, Priyam Garg (capt), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Siddhesh Veer, Atharva Ankolekar, Ravi Bishnoi, Sushant Mishra, Kartik Tyagi, Akash Singh

The winners will clinch a spot in the 9 February final of the most prestigious age-group cricket event. The two teams have tasted glory in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in the past with the defending champions India victorious on four occasions while Pakistan are the only team to have won back-to-back titles (2004 and 2006).

Pakistan’s historic 2006 triumph was registered with one of the most astonishing results in the history of the tournament when the Sarfaraz Ahmed-led side convincingly defended their paltry 109-run total by rolling over India for 71 runs at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium.

The two teams have frequently clashed in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup. Pakistan have won five out of the nine matches between the two sides, while India have won four contests.