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Zahoors Unbeaten Ton Trumps Rajputs 107 As Pakistan Edge India By Three Wickets In U19 Asia Cup

U19 Asia Cup: Wicketkeeper-batter Hamza Zahoor struck a composed, unbeaten century from number seven to rescue Pakistan from 61/5 and guide them to a three-wicket win over India in a Group A match of the ACC Mens Under-19 Asia Cup here on Sunday. Hamzas superb knock helped him take the shine off Arjun Rajputs blistering 107, which took India to 208. Chasing 209, defending champions Pakistan got home with 11 balls to spare, with Zahoor sealing the contest in the 49th over through a drive past extra cover that took him to an unbeaten 100 off 108 balls. Moments later, Zahoor pulled a note from his pocket and held it up to the Pakistan supporters. It read Tomorrow match 50 Hamza Zahoor. It was a target he ended up doubling on Sunday. India found themselves in early trouble after choosing to bat first, as Pakistans pacers didnt give easy runs. Captain Lakshya Raichandani (0), Aaryavir Sehwag (22), VK Vineeth (8) and Yashbardhan Chauhan (1) fell in a heap to leave the side at 42/4 in 16.4 overs. Rajput, hailing from Jalandhar in Punjab, then took charge of Indias innings by smashing 11 fours and five sixes in his 85-ball knock. He added 44 runs with wicketkeeper Anvay Dravid (10) and then put on another 64 with Manal Chauhan (11), while scoring the lions share of the runs on both occasions. His dismissal in the 36th over, with India on 170/7 triggered another slide as Yashveer Goud (4) and Mohit Ulva (7) followed quickly to make the score to 195/9. Kavya Patel (23) and Ishan Sood (2 not out) then eked out a handy last-wicket stand of 13 runs to lift India to 208 all out in 46.3 overs. Medium pacers Ali Raza (3-37) and Rizwanullah (3-24) were the standout bowlers for Pakistan, with left-arm spinner Niqab Shafiq (3-42) chipping in and seamer Mohammad Sayyam (1-27) chipping in as well. In defence of the total, Indias bowlers hit back hard in the chase. Sood and Ulva removed the openers, while Manal castled Abdul Qadir and trapped Ahmed Hussain lbw. Kavya accounted for skipper Farhan Yousaf as Pakistan slumped to 61/5 in 14.4 overs. Zahoor then counter-attacked by hitting sixes off Kavya Patel, Ulva and Yashveer Goud, while Hasnain Abbas Dar held up the other end. The pair put on 107 for the sixth wicket to swing the game in Pakistans favour. Manal (3-32) revived Indias hopes in the final over of his spell when Dar (38) pulled straight to Rajput at mid-wicket. Ulva then had Sayyam caught behind, leaving Pakistan needing 26 runs to win with three wickets in hand. Zahoor, though, kept his cool by shielding number nine Niqab Shafiq from the strike and hit the boundary whenever an opening came. India were left to rue some loose moments - opener Usman Khan was dropped twice early on, while Sood conceded two wides in the 48th over. Zahoors fifty came in the 31st over, and he survived a close lbw shout in the 35th, when the 100-run stand also came up and took Pakistan home with 11 balls remaining. India, who had thrashed Nepal by 10 wickets in their opening, will look to bounce back against the UAE on Tuesday. Zahoor, though, kept his cool by shielding number nine Niqab Shafiq from the strike and hit the boundary whenever an opening came. India were left to rue some loose moments - opener Usman Khan was dropped twice early on, while Sood conceded two wides in the 48th over. Also Read: Special Cricket Stories Article Source: IANS