England has emerged victorious in a nail-biting semi-final match against Australia at the ICC U19 World Cup, securing a spot in the final. The match, played at a packed stadium, saw England defeat Australia by 27 runs, with both teams’ captains scoring centuries.
In the allotted 50 overs, England posted 277 runs for the loss of seven wickets, with captain Thomas Roe scoring 110 runs. Fellow opener Caleb Falkoner contributed 40 runs to the team’s total. In response, Australia’s Hayden Sheller and Nedan Corey took two wickets each, but the team’s chase was cut short when they were bowled out for 250 runs in the 48th over.
Australia’s captain Oliver Pickett scored 100 runs, while Nitis Samuel contributed 47 runs and Arya Sharma scored 34 runs. England’s bowlers, James Minto, Sebastien Morgan, Ralph Eyre, and Menny Lumsden, took two wickets each.
England will now face the winner of the second semi-final match between India and Afghanistan in the final. The ICC U19 World Cup has been won by India.
In other cricket news, the Asian Under-21 Snooker Championship took place in Qatar, with the final match between Pakistan’s Asif Ramadan and Iran’s Shahin Sabzi. We have a flight booked and are heading there to cover the event.
In other sports news, the Pakistan cricket team has been training at the Sinalize Sports Club in preparation for their upcoming matches. Netherlands’ batsman Max O’Dowd has expressed his team’s confidence in beating Pakistan, stating that they have a good understanding of the team’s strengths and weaknesses.
Pakistan’s captain Salman Ali Agha has assured that his team is not under pressure to perform well, with Cricket Australia confirming the same. Pakistan’s Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Bazid Khan, and Rameez Raja will provide commentary for the World Cup.
Former Indian captain Kapil Dev has spoken about the decision to boycott Pakistan’s match against India, stating that such decisions are made in accordance with the government and cricket board’s policies.
The upcoming T20 World Cup in 2026 is expected to be an exciting tournament, with several veteran players set to participate. According to reports, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board has written to the Pakistan Cricket Board, expressing concerns about the impact of Pakistan’s boycott on the tourism sector.
Shoaib Malik has expressed his views on the current state of cricket, stating that the season is at its peak and the topic of fixing is gaining attention. A video has been released showing Pakistani cricketers mimicking Abar Ali Ahmed’s style.
The Pakistan cricket team has been training at the Sinalize Sports Club, with a focus on fitness for the women’s team. The team has a lot of young players, with the aim of preparing them for the World Cup.
In other news, the Punjab government has announced that it will be canceling all official events as a mark of solidarity with the victims of the Islamabad bombing. The bomber is believed to have received training from Afghanistan, and has made several trips to the country.
The Inspector General of Islamabad has confirmed that his cousin was among the victims of the blast. Thomas De Nino has expressed his views on the current state of nuclear disarmament, stating that a bilateral agreement is not sufficient, and that China’s nuclear arsenal lacks transparency.
The Sindh government has canceled the Cultural Night music program in solidarity with the victims of the Islamabad bombing.
