Dhaka: Three-time champion India, 1998 winner England and two-time champion Pakistan flexed their batting firepower to win their warm-up matches on Saturday ahead of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup Bangladesh 2016, which starts on Wednesday, 27 January.
There were also wins for Afghanistan and host Bangladesh, while Sri Lanka registered an impressive four-wicket win over New Zealand in a battle of equals.
India, coached by batting great Rahul Dravid, thrashed Canada’s hapless bowlers to score a mammoth 483 for five on way to 372 runs victory in Mirpur. Captain Ishan Kishan smashed 138 off 86 balls with 16 fours and seven sixes. Ricky Bhui struck 115 off 71 balls and Sarfaraz Khan hit a 36-ball 48.
After all three batsmen retired to give other batsmen an outing, Canada folded up for just 113 in 31.1 overs as leg-spinner Mahipal Lomror claimed three wickets for 19 runs.
England’s left-arm seamer Sam Curran grabbed five wickets for 10 runs in eight overs to steer his side to a comfortable 155-run win over Namibia at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong.
England made 307 for seven after being sent into bat with openers Dan Lawrence (85) and Max Holden (81) sharing a first-wicket stand of 151 runs by the 28th over. Namibia was bowled out for 152 runs in reply, despite Lohan Louwrens making 44 and Charl Brits 57.
Pakistan scored 291 for seven against Nepal with opener Zeeshan Malik making 83 and Umair Masood chipping in with a 36-ball 59. Nepal replied with 181 for nine to lose by 110 runs. Sameen Gul, Shadab Khan and Arsal Sheikh took two wickets apiece.
Shammu Ashan hit 66 off 69 balls to steer Sri Lanka to a four-wicket win over New Zealand, whose 204 for eight after being sent in to bat revolved around captain Josh Finnie’s 54. Sri Lanka surpassed the target in 36.1 overs.
Skipper Ihsanullah Janat hit 133 to lead Afghanistan to 126 runs victory over Ireland. A five-wicket haul by Rory Anders helped bowl the Afghans out for 277, but Ireland was itself bundled out for 151 despite an unbeaten 59 from Lorcan Tucker. Karim Janat and Zia-ur-Rehman took two wickets each.
Bangladesh piled up 284 for nine against Zimbabwe and restricted the rivals to 221 for seven to secure a 63-run win.
The home team’s Nazmul Hossain (102) and Zimbabwe’s Ryan Murray (123 not out) were the principal scorers. William Mashinge took five wickets in Bangladesh’s innings.
The 11th edition of the biennial 16-nation tournament features nine Test-playing nations and seven Associate and Affiliate Members - Afghanistan, Canada, Fiji, Namibia, Nepal, Ireland and Scotland.
Teams have been divided into four groups with the top two in each advancing to the Super League quarter-finals and the other two qualifying for the Plate championships.
Scores in brief:
Afghanistan beat Ireland by 126 runs at BKSP-3
Afghanistan 277 all out, 50 overs (Ihsanullah Janat 133; Rory Anders 5-40, Joshua Little 3-49
Ireland 151 all out, 44.3 overs (Lorcan Tucker 59 not out; Karim Janat 2-12, Zia-ur-Rehman 2-7)
Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 63 runs in Chittagong
Bangladesh 284-9, 50 overs (Nazmul Hossain 102; William Mashinge 5-67)
Zimbabwe 221-7, 50 overs (Ryan Murray 123 not out; Abdul Halim 2-45)
India beat Canada by 372 runs at BKSP-4
India 485-3, 50 overs (Ishan Kishan 138 retired, Ricky Bhui 115 retired, Sarfaraz Khan 48 retired)
Canada 113, 31.1 overs (Harsh Thaker 25; Mahipal Lomror 3-19, Shubham Mavi 2-20, Zeeshan Ansari 2-39)
England beat Namibia by 155 runs in Chittagong
England 307-7, 50 overs (Dan Lawrence 85, Max Holden 81; Fritz Coetzee 2-63)
Namibia 152 all out, 34 overs (Lohan Louwrens 44, Charl Brits 57; Sam Curran 5-10)
Pakistan beat Nepal by 110 runs at BKSP-1
Pakistan 291-7, 50 overs (Zeeshan Malik 83, Umair Masood 59)
Nepal 181-9, 50 overs (Dipendra Airee 42; Sameen Gul 2-17, Shadab Khan 2-42, Arsal Sheikh 2-19)
Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by four wickets at BKSP-2
New Zealand 204-8, 50 overs (Josh Finnie 54, Dale Phillips 48 not out; Asitha Fernando 2-39, Jehan Daniel 2-48, Lahiru Samarakoon 2-31)
Sri Lanka 205-6, 36.1 overs (Shammu Ashan 66; Ben Sears 2-43, Nathan Smith 2-39)
