Lakra deals in sixes as UAE enter final
dubai — Such has been the performance that the UAE Under-19 team seem to be in a class of their own. They have more or less steamrolled opponents right from the ICC Asia Division 1 qualifiers in Kuala Lumpur last month and in the ongoing Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Under-19 Western Region Tournament being held at home.
And the latest casualty was Qatar, who were ruthlessly walloped by the UAE colts in the semifinal on Wednesday.
The UAE were again well served by their captain Aryan Lakra, who ripped the Qatar batting line-up to shreds with another six-wicket haul that saw the hosts stroll to a 10-wicket victory at the Dubai International Stadium.
The 17-year-old left-arm spinner Lakra had taken 6-16 against Bahrain in the group phase and then followed it up with an even better six for nine in a little over seven overs.
Lakra is the leading wicket taker with 15 scalps in four matches so far.
The UAE notched their ninth win on the bounce since the ICC Asia Division 1 qualifiers and their fourth in this tournament.
It was an ominous warning and it remains to be seen if Kuwait can put a stop or at the very least, challenge the UAE’s might.
Kuwait set up a final date with the UAE on Friday at the Dubai International Stadium after they worked off a clinical 103-run win over Saudi Arabia at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
A berth in the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup to be held in Sri Lanka in July and August, awaits the winners of this tournament.
The Western Region winners and the top two teams from the ACC Under-19 Eastern Region Tournament will join India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The Eastern Region consists of Nepal, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Bhutan, China and Myanmar.
Batting first, Qatar found themselves at sea following Lakra’s pyrotechnics and providing back-up were medium pacer Muhammad Akasha Tahir and leg spinner Karthik Palaniappan.
The total hardly raised a
sweat for the UAE openers with Alishan Sharafu and Syed Haider brushing it off in no time. Sharafu remained unbeaten on 36 from 16 deliveries with seven boundaries. Brief scores:
Qatar Under-19: 48 all out in 26.1 overs (Syed Yousuf Tameem 17, Aryan Lakra 6-9, Muhammad Akasha Tahir 2-11, Karthik Palaniappan 2-12) lost to UAE Under-19: 52-0 in 3.5 overs (Alishan Sharafu 36 not out, Syed Haider 13 not out) by 10 wickets. Kuwait Under-19: 254-6 in 50 overs (Gokul Sunil Kumar 108 not out, Nomaan Sidiq 56, Akhil Sajeev Nair 35) beat Saudi Arabia Under-19: 151 all out in 42 overs (Wasi 41, Abdullah 26, Abdul Sadiq 3-18, Jandu Hamoud Amanullah 3-31) by 103 runs.