Pakistan ready for challenge after routing Uganda

Uganda 74 (33.3 overs); Pakistan 75-2 (12.5 overs). Pakistan won by eight wickets.

Pakistan coach Mansoor Rana said his side is "ready for the challenge" of defending the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup.

And after his players demolished Uganda by eight wickets in rapid time it is difficult to disagree.

Pakistan, who won the trophy in Bangladesh in 2004, showed admirable hunger in dispatching the Associate side for 74 before knocking off the required runs in just 12.2 overs.

A work-out like that could be seen as counter-productive in one sense because Pakistan barely broke sweat in achieving their success but Rana said it was not a major concern for him or his players.

"We have already prepared for the tournament when we played the West Indies in Pakistan," he said.

"We have chalked out the way we want to play already and we watched Bangladesh play New Zealand yesterday so we are ready for the challenge," he added.

Pakistan dismissed the Africans for only 74 in 33.3 overs, fully justifying their decision to bowl first after winning the toss.

Only two Uganda batsmen, Raymond Otim with 13 and Emmanuel Isaanez with 10, made it into double figures and extras were the top score with 25, including 18 wides.

Seam bowlers Jamshaid Ahmed and Akhtar Ayub led the rout with both players taking 3-15, while captain Safaraz Ahmed took five catches behind the stumps.

The remaining wickets to fall were shared between two other seamers, Anwer Ali Khan (1-21) and Ali Khan (2-10) and left-arm spinner Syed Imad Wasim, who collected 1-5 in four overs.

The highest partnership of the innings was just 20, for the second wicket, between opener Jimmy Okello and Arthur Kyobe although that took almost 50 minutes to complete.

The only downside for Rana was the fact his bowlers gifted so many extras to the opposition.

"The boys are used to bowling with the red ball that does not swing as much as the white one," he said.

"Looking at the scorecards of other matches it is a problem all the bowlers are facing and we try to work with the boys to alter the way they hold the ball.

"But they are U/19 and they are bound to make mistakes," he added.

Uganda coach Sam Walusimbi felt the loss of the toss had not helped his side but he also admitted they batted disappointingly.

"We would have fielded as the pitch was green, the ball seamed around and their seamers got the main wickets but we did not bat well and we should have done better," he said.

"It is not a technical thing but mainly about temperament to stick in.

"They are young men of 19 and if you beat them outside the off-stump a few times then they tend to lose themselves a play shots they should not.

"They do not have the experience at a high level of cricket which is where you learn to deal with this type of bowling but that means our next two games are a fantastic opportunity.

"We know we have not played well but the question now is whether we can come back and play good cricket. I believe we can," added Walusimbi.

Both sides are part of group A along with New Zealand and Bangladesh but only two of sides can progress to the Super League quarter-finals which are played on Saturday.

Uganda have little time to lick their wounds as they in action again on Tuesday against New Zealand. Pakistan's next match is against Bangladesh on Wednesday.