Pakistan played fair — Andy Flower

Zimpapers Sports Hub

WITH the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2026 progressing into the next stage, the Super Six, questions were lingering on how Pakistan Under-19s aided the hosts, Zimbabwe’s progression quest in their last group game at Takashinga Cricket Club in Harare last week.

Pakistan beat Zimbabwe in a manner that also ensured the Young Chevrons’ qualification to the Super Six, taking advantage of the tournament rules to give themselves the best net run rate possible in the next stage of the competition.

Zimbabwe’s qualification on net run rate, along with Pakistan in Group C, came at the expense of Scotland, who looked poised to qualify at the midway point of Pakistan’s chase of the target of 129.

However, Pakistan slowed down significantly from the end of the 14th over onwards and ultimately got to the target in 26.2 overs. Had they won before 25.2 overs, Scotland, not Zimbabwe, would have qualified for the Super Sixes.

Pakistan gained a significant net run rate advantage with Zimbabwe qualifying ahead of Scotland owing to the format of the Under-19 World Cup. The tournament rules stipulate that points and net run rate are carried forward from the group stage to the Super Sixes, but only from the matches between the sides that qualify from the group.

Pakistan progressed with a better net run rate because they had beaten Zimbabwe by a bigger margin than they beat Scotland.

Former Zimbabwe international captain, and one of the country’s finest ever cricketers Andy Flower defended Pakistan’s tactics, saying that he doesn’t question what Pakistan did.

“I thought it was a justifiable tactic on their part. When they go through to the Super Sixes, they will take their net run rate, which will include the Zimbabwe game but doesn’t include the Scotland game. That means their net run rate is better than if Scotland went through.

“They needed to first establish they weren’t going to lose the game, and then they just slowed down to make sure Zimbabwe got through. Some people may question the ethics of that, but I personally don’t,” the Zimbabwean great told ESPNCricinfo.

The Elton Chigumbura-mentored Young Chevrons side is scheduled to face India in their first match of the Super Stage at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Tuesday before going on to face Bangladesh at Harare Sports Club on Saturday.

The top two teams from the two Super Six groups will proceed to the semi-finals scheduled for Bulawayo and Harare on February 3 and 4 respectively.

All matches start at 09.30am and are free of charge to spectators.