Cricket: Pande stars as Bahrain beat Saudi – Gulf Digital News

Cricket: Pande stars as Bahrain beat Saudi – Gulf Digital News

Bahrain beat Saudi Arabia by 57 runs yesterday in their opening Group A match of the eight-team 2024 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Asia Division 2 Qualifier at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman.

Batting first after Saudi Arabia captain Muhammad Raza won the toss and put them in, Bahrain were bowled out for 159 in 37.1 overs with all-rounder Aryan Pande top-scoring with a dogged 47 off 58 balls.

In reply, Saudi Arabia were bundled out for just 102 in 30.1 overs with middle-order batter, Mohammad Sunasara, who scored 54, accounting for more than half their total.

“It was a good win,” Bahrain head coach Aashish Kapoor told the GDN by phone from Oman. “The boys fought back after a disappointing batting display. Our entire bowling unit – the fast bowlers, the spinners – were outstanding as they pulled the match back and eventually won it for us.”

Bahrain play their next game tomorrow against Bhutan before facing hosts Oman in their final group game on Monday. A win against Bhutan could potentially land Bahrain a semi-final slot with Kapoor saying his team needed to play smart, as well as good, cricket in order to ensure their entry into the last