KUALA LUMPUR, March 1: South Africa crushed defending champions Pakistan by 98 runs in a rain-hit semi-final on Saturday to set up a clash with India in the ICC Cricket Under-19 World Cup final.

Pakistan, set a revised target of 252 in 47 overs in a match spread over two days due to bad weather, were shot out for 153, dashing their hopes of a third successive title in cricket’s premier junior event.

Off-spinner Mohammad Vallie lifted South Africa home with 4-25 as opener Ahmad Shahzad played a lone hand for Pakistan with a fluent 60 containing six boundaries and a six.

Proteas captain Wayne Parnell and Roy Adams chipped in with two wickets each as Pakistan lost their last eight wickets for 67 runs.

The day/night final will be played at the Kinrara Oval on Sunday with a reserve day set aside in case of bad weather.

The semi-final was carried over to a second day after rain on Friday brought play to an early end with Pakistan on 86-2 from 18.5 overs in reply to South Africa’s challenging 260-8.

Pakistan were unlucky to bow out after needing only five runs in seven balls if the stipulated 20 overs had been bowled on Friday.

When play finally began two hours and 20 minutes late on Saturday – due to a wet outfield caused by heavy overnight rain – Pakistan made the worst possible start.

Umar Amin, who was on 22 overnight after sharing a 69-run stand for the third wicket with Ahmed, fell first ball to a brilliant piece of stumping by wicket-keeper Bradley Barnes.

Barnes collected a delivery from Pieter Malan bowled wide down the leg-side and whipped off the bails with left-handed Umar Amin short of his crease.

“Bradley’s stumping had a huge role to play,” said a beaming South African coach Ray Jennings. “We planned that dismissal.”

Pakistan coach Mansoor Rana said the early setback cost his team dearly.

“The idea was to bat around Umar Amin who would be the anchor at one end while the others went for the runs,” said Mansoor. “I told the boys to forget what happened on Friday and see it as a 29-over game in which we needed 166 more. But losing Umar off the first ball changed the whole game.”

Jennings said he looked forward to the final against India, who beat his team by six wickets in the preliminary league.

“We are the underdogs because there are huge expectations on India, but I like it that way,” he said. “We have had a tough semi-final and the boys will be playing for a third day in a row, but they are in good spirits for the final.”

Pakistan were dealt a blow when star batsman Ali Asad was given out LBW to Adams by Sri Lankan umpire Tyron Wijewardene even though the ball appeared to pitch outside leg stump.

South Africa removed danger man Ahmed Shahzad and Umair Mir in the space of three balls to leave Pakistan in tatters at 124-6 in the 30th over.

Ahmed miscued a lofted on-drive off Adams to point and Umair was bowled by Vallie for no score. Vallie then took three of the last four wickets to seal Pakistan’s fate.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA:

P.J. Malan c Ali Asad b Adil Raza 15

J.T. Smuts c Usman b Ahmed 58

R.R. Rossouw c Umar Akmal b Ahmed 53

J.D. Vandiar c Azhar b Rameez 50

M.Y. Vallie lbw b Imad 9

W.D. Parnell c Umar Amin b Imad 17

R.A. Adams c Ahmed b Imad 1

R.R. Hendricks not out 27

S.A. Engelbrecht b Rameez 8

B.G. Barnes not out 1

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-12, NB-6) 21

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 260

FALL OF WKTS: 1-35, 2-126, 3-142, 4-173, 5-219, 6-223, 7-226, 8-255.

DID NOT BAT: M. Arnold.

BOWLING: Adil Raza 10-0-58-1 (2nb, 5w); Mohammad Rameez 10-2-48-2 (1nb); Azhar Attari 5-0-33-0 (2nb, 1w); Umar Akmal 7-0-38-0 (1nb); Imad Wasim 10-0-45-3 (3w); Ahmed Shahzad 8-0-35-2 (3w).

PAKISTAN (overnight 86-2 in 18.5 overs): Ahmed Shahzad c Engelbrecht b Adams 60

Umar Akmal c Vallie b Parnell 12

Shan Masood b Parnell 0

Umar Amin st Barnes b Malan 22

Ali Asad lbw b Adams 5

Usman Salahuddin c Rossouw b Vallie 16

Umair Mir b Vallie 0

Imad Wasim c Vandiar b Engelbrecht 14

Mohammad Rameez c Hendricks b Vallie 3

Adil Raza not out 6

Azhar Attari c Engelbrecht b Vallie 1

EXTRAS (B-1, W-12, NB-1) 14

TOTAL (all out, 39.3 overs) 153

FALL OF WKTS: 1-17, 2-17, 3-87, 4-95, 5-124, 6-124, 7-135, 8-144, 9-145.

BOWLING: Parnell 9-0-39-2 (6w); Arnold 7-0-41-0 (1nb, 1w); Adams 7-1-22-2 (1w); Malan 4-0-13-1 (3w); Vallie 8.3-1-25-4 (1w), Hendricks 1-0-5-0; Vandiar 1-0-4-0; Engelbrecht 2-1-3-1.

RESULT: South Africa won by 98 runs after Pakistan’s target was revised to 252 in 47 overs under D/L Method.

UMPIRES: S.J. Davis (Australia) and T.H. Wijewardene (Sri Lanka).

TV UMPIRE: G.A. Baxter (New Zealand).

MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Jon Smuts.

FINAL: India v South Africa on Sunday.—AFP