Canada winds up tournament on a high

Canada registered its first win in the ICC U-19 World Cup when it beat Papua New Guinea by 11 runs in their 15th-place playoff game at Sheikh Zayed Stadium Nursery 2 in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday (February 26).

After it opted to bat, half-centuries from Yug Rao and Stephan Joseph steered Canada to 169 before it was bowled out in 44.1 overs. The Canada bowlers, led by Nikhil Dutta and Farhan Malik, then bowled PNG out for 158 in 48.2 overs.

Canada was reduced to 12 for 3 within six overs after Nosaina Pokana picked up two wickets off successive deliveries in the third over. Opener Rao, however, continued with his good form in the tournament with a well made half-century. He shared a 120-run stand with Joseph for the sixth wicket, batting for more than half the innings.

Barring Joseph (58) and Rao (77), who fell in the span of two overs, no other Canada batsman was able to reach double figures. Pokana returned figures of 4 for 27 in his ten overs, while Sekavai Gebai picked up 3 for 25.

In reply, PNG got off to a quick start with openers Kiplin Doriga and Riley Hekure putting on 40 runs in 6.3 overs before Dutta bowled Doriga for a 22-ball 33. Dutta and Malik dented PNG's chase thereafter, picking up wickets at regular intervals to reduce PNG to 105 for 6.

Anthony Vare and Dogodo Bau, the captain, came together to share a 45-run stand for the seventh wicket but Malik ended the resistance when he picked up his third wicket of Vare after a 33-ball 29.

PNG folded eight runs later with Bau unbeaten on 39, ending its campaign at the tournament without a win.