Karamat, Sami take Pakistan into U-19 Asia Cup final

SHARJAH: A hat-trick from leg-spinner Karamat Ali, followed by Sami ASlam's 75, powered Pakistan Under-19s into the final of the Under-19s Asia Cup after they edged Afghanistan Under-19s by two wickets in Sharjah.

Karamat claimed three wickets off successive deliveries in the 46th over to finish with five for 33 and bundle Afghanistan out for 196.

Batting first, Afghanistan had made a solid start as the openers Shahidullah and Ihsanullah hit 43 inside nine overs, but four wickets in the space of 10 overs left them stranded at 70 for four.

Shaidi and Waheedullah Shafaq led the recovery with a fifth-wicket stand of 87, but once Shafaq was removed for 48, the team again crumbled. Afghanistan entered the 46th over at 182 for 6 and with Mujtaba and Shaidi at the crease, they would have looked to push on towards a competitive total.

Set a paltry target, Pakistan lost Shayan Jahangir in the second over, but Aslam marshaled the innings by striking eight fours and two sixes, and adding 107 for the second wicket with Imam. However, Aslam's wicket in the 24th over led to Pakistan slipping from 111 for one to 133 for four.

Hasan Raza and Hussain Talat chipped in with crucial contributions to stop the slide, but both of them were dismissed in the 45th over and Pakistan were soon left precariously placed at 195 for eight with 13 balls remaining.

Kamran Ghulam, however, held his nerve and took the team over the line with a backfoot punch through the covers for four.