Talha, Junaid shine on dull day

For the second successive day, Pakistan's bowlers struggled on a flat pitch. The team, however, could take heart from the success of their pacers, Mohammad Talha and Junaid Khan

Pakistan bowlers may have started the second day optimistic about their chances of ending Sri Lanka's resistance but had little success as the visitors reached an imposing 428 for 9. While Pakistan's bowlers contained the Sri Lanka batsmen well - conceding only 208 runs in the day - they could grab wickets only after the batting side had managed to build themselves into a position of strength. However, there were positives for Pakistan on the second day, specially the bowling of pacers Mohammad Talha and Junaid Khan.

Talha, bowling in only his second Test after a gap of nearly five years, provided the much-needed breakthroughs on both days and finished with figures of 3 for 99 in 32 overs. He is one of the fastest bowlers in Pakistan's domestic cricket circuit, but was pushed back with the emergence of Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan. Talha remained on the periphery of national selection for a long time and was left out for the squad for the first two Tests, but his performance showed an eagerness to make the best of an opportunity that came out of the blue.

On an unresponsive surface, Talha experimented a tad too much but though he was short of length, his patience was rewarded with the vital scalps of Prasanna Jayawardene (35) and debutant Dilruwan Perera (95). Junaid, at the other end, charged in throughout the day and was tidy, although he did not get too much movement with the ball. Junaid was Pakistan's most successful bowler, taking 3 for 81 at an economy rate of 2.53.

Saeed Ajmal, on the other hand, struggled again. He had picked up two wickets on the first day, but the Sri Lanka batsmen tackled him sensibly on the second and scored more fluently off him. He was wicketless throughout the day and was left cursing a pitch that did not offer much help. He finished the innings with 2 for 120 in 55 overs. Prior to the Sharjah Test, Ajmal had called for more supportive pitches but as Pakistan's strike bowler, he is expected to take wickets irrespective of conditions.

Like the first day, Pakistan also had a few issues surrounding umpiring decisions, as many reviews ended up in Sri Lanka's favour. Had those decisions been in their favour, Pakistan could possibly have restricted Sri Lanka before the tea break. It may not have made an overwhelming difference but it was better than nothing on a day when the team struggled.

"This is what Test cricket is," Junaid said, after an unproductive day. "We tried hard to extract the best out of the day, but it was a flat pitch. The way the batsmen have batted in last two days, there is nothing much for the bowlers."

Given the current match situation, the onus is on Pakistan's batsmen to show composure in their innings and Junaid was optimistic about the team's chances in the match: "The way pitch is acting, our batsmen can push hard tomorrow to make quick runs to turn the pressure back on Sri Lanka. We are hoping the pitch can do a bit later in the match."

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Sri Lanka take comfort from new heroes

Fourteen months on from fielding their oldest ever XI in a Test, Sri Lanka have regenerated at great speed and now brought to the fore, a talented crop of youngsters who are bound to leave the fans very excited for the future

Bowlers bowling well, batsmen batting better, Pakistan toiling, Sri Lanka staying patient, earnest line-and-length, flat pitches and attrition. Day two in Sharjah has mimicked so many others in an abrasive series, but for the visitors, there was something new to cheer for.

If Sri Lanka's strategy in dry pitches such as this could be summed up in a phrase, it is probably- bat first, bat big and let the spinners loose. In Sharjah, they attempted a return to that blueprint. Though two of their old juggernauts remained, it was Sri Lanka's new heroes, wielding an unfamiliar mode of operation, who were best at bolstering the team's position. After the long break in Tests, this tour was perhaps always going to be one of discovery, but few would have expected to unearth so much resilience in so many places.

Angelo Mathews is having the series of his career so far. He arrived in the UAE as a captain-in-training but will depart with unequivocal authority in his station, having orchestrated a furious counterattack, a resourceful fightback, and now, a stalling knock that appears to have fenced Sri Lanka's lead in the series. His batting on day two is perhaps not the kind of Test cricket that inspires fans to pay close attention to every ball, but there was no mistaking Mathews' concentration against good Test bowling, despite the docile surface.

The 164 dot balls in his innings show that Mathews was content to refuse what Pakistan did not give freely. Good judgement of both the bowling and the surface were his biggest assets in his vigil, but having arrived in the Sri Lanka team with a taste for aggression, his self-restraint against Pakistan has been remarkable. Until he perished (perhaps suddenly innervated by the prospect of another trip to triple-figures), Mathews had barely touched anything that was not threatening the stumps, save the balls short enough for him to cut.

Grinding his runs out not only helped frustrate the opposition - an emotion manifested most conspicuously in Saeed Ajmal- but it was also a percentage play on a pitch that has shown signs that its deterioration is imminent. Sri Lanka have bossed the series, and did not need to shake its glacial pace. Pakistan must now attack on day three if they are to reel in Sri Lanka fast enough to level the score. And even if they achieve parity in the first innings, a fourth-innings chase to win the match is only likely on the fifth day, when Sri Lanka's spinners will pose significant menace.

Mathews has also inspired calmness in less-experienced batsmen at the other end in this series - another sign of his burgeoning leadership ability. He had put up vital stands with Shaminda Eranga and Dinesh Chandimal in Abu Dhabi, and in Sharjah, helped guide Dilruwan Perera to the highest ever score by a Sri Lanka debutant away from home.

"The wicket is still a little hard to score on, so Angie told me to stay at the crease and that the two of us should try to extend the team's total," Dilruwan said. "I'm disappointed to miss out on 100, especially because not many Sri Lankans have done it on debut. The pull shot I played to get out was the only time I played that shot to a fast bowler. But at the same time, I'm happy about my 95."

Few would have expected Sri Lanka to have earned such a dominant place in the series without a major contribution from the likes of Kumar Sangakkara and Rangana Herath, but players like Dilruwan, Kaushal Silva and the fast bowlers have made surprising leaps to assure fans the future is not as bleak as once imagined. Sri Lanka played their oldest ever Test XI against New Zealand in 2012, but 14 months hence, they appear to be regenerating at speed.

It helps that Pakistan are an opposition they enjoy playing against. In their 13 most recent encounters, Sri Lanka have only lost once, though only the future challenges may be a better barometer.

In this match, Sri Lanka have also benefited from some good fortune via the margin for umpires' call in the DRS system. Three 50-50 decisions went their way on day one, and two more came on Friday as Pakistan exhausted all their reviews. Had an equal share of the contentious decisions fallen Pakistan's way, Sri Lanka might not have managed even 300 in the first innings, particularly if Sangakkara's gloved catch had also not been overlooked and Mathews' return catch on 0 been snaffled.

If Sri Lanka can protect their lead or even go one better, they will leave the UAE satisfied not only with the win, but also with their youngsters who would have all been instrumental in achieving it.

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Loubser stars as South Africa win series

South Africa 95 for 6 (Loubser 25*) beat Pakistan 94 (Ismail 3-25) by four wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Sunette Loubser claimed two wickets and then struck 25 not out to guide South Africa to victory in the tri-series final in Doha. In a low-scoring match, 16 wickets fell for 189 runs but South Africa had enough contributions down the order to get home with 39 balls to spare.

Having only managed to make 94, Pakistan fought hard with the ball, taking regular wickets. Sumaiya Siddiqi and Nida Dar both claimed two wickets in parsimonious spells but South Africa could afford to progress at just two runs an over. At 38 for 4 and with two new batsmen at the crease, there was a window of opportunity but Loubser and Shandre Fritz closed it during a 31-run stand.

Having been put in, Pakistan began steadily and despite a couple of early losses were 56 for 2 after 20 overs. Two balls later, however, Loubser had top-scorer Javeria Khan caught for 30 and the pressure began to increase. Bismah Maroof and Dar were the only other batsmen to make double figures, as seamer Shabnim Ismail claimed figures of 3 for 25.

Pakistan's last six wickets fell for just 18 runs as the group-stage winners, in a tournament that also featured Ireland, lost to South Africa for the second time in three days. The same teams will now contest a T20 tri-series, with the first match on Sunday.

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Big Three could control revamped ICC

The ICC is to consider a comprehensive structural overhaul of world cricket administration that will effectively cede most executive decision-making to the BCCI, Cricket Australia and the ECB. A draft proposal on these lines will be presented to the ICC Executive Board during its quarterly meeting in Dubai on January 28 and 29.

The proposal, drafted by a "working group" of the ICC's Finance & Commercial Affairs (F&CA) committee - in which the BCCI, CA and ECB are key members - recommends wide-ranging changes in the ICC's revenue distribution model, administrative structures and the Future Tours Programme (FTP), questions the relevance of Test rankings and suggests the reinstatement of the Champions Trophy over the World Test Championship.

And almost every recommendation of the "position paper" gives a larger share of control over world cricket to the Australian, English and Indian cricket boards - both in the boardroom and on the field. It also gives them a larger share of revenues, in a ratio that is linked to the ICC's revenue growth.

The ICC says these radical proposals await response from and the approval of member boards. The document does, however, contain an April deadline for the formation of the ICC Business Co (IBC) - a newly formed business arm which will be set up to replace the existing IDI (ICC Development International) - in order to take over the task of issuing tenders for the ICC's next media rights and sponsorship cycle.

The proposal recommends creating a four-member group called the Executive Committee (ExCo) between ICC committees and the Executive Board, which consists of the heads of national boards. The ExCo, the proposal recommends, will include three permanent representatives from CA, ECB and BCCI, who will share an annual rotating chairmanship. A fourth member of the ExCo will be nominated by the ICC's Executive Board and come from the seven other Full Member nations. The ExCo, if created according to the draft, will become "the sole recommendation committee … on all constitutional, personnel, integrity, ethics, development and nominations matters."

When detailing Test match promotion and relegation, the document states that "relegation exceptions" will apply to India, England and Australia. This is "solely in order to protect ICC income due to the importance of those markets and teams to prospective ICC media rights buyers."

This document was made available to the ICC member nations in Dubai on January 9, as part of a special meeting called in addition to the normal ICC Board meetings held every three months. There is a possibility that the proposal could be even be brought to vote as early as the January meeting even though the ICC, which offered no formal statement, indicated that the document was a only working paper that awaited both response and approval from the Board.

There had been a buzz among member nations that these proposals were being worked on between BCCI, CA and the ECB over the past six months but the first that other member nations saw of it was the document on January 9. A representative of a Full Member board outside the BCCI-CA-ECB triad said the proposals were a radical return to the old "veto system" in which England and Australia controlled all decision-making. The newest, richest and, therefore, most influential entrant into this club of power is the BCCI.

"They are attaching the right of a country to rule the cricket world to its economic strength", this official said. The proposal by the BCCI, CA and the ECB to exempt themselves from relegation was, he said, contradictory: "On one side, they say they are following meritocracy. But then they base promotion and relegation on financial strength."

At an administrative level, the recently-created post of ICC chairman, (meant to reduce the powers of the president and be given to the "the best man for the job") will, according to the new proposal, become an annual rotation between "one of the nominees of the ECB, CA or the BCCI." Similarly, the BCCI-CA-ECB will nominate the annual chairman of the Finance & Commercial committee, thus nominating their own candidates in three key ICC positions: the head of the ExCo, the F&CA committee and the chairmanship of the ICC. The ICC chairman will not head other major committees of the ICC, its F&CA committee or the IBC, the commercial arm of the ICC.

The proposal states that the IBC is to be "established immediately" in order to take charge of the next cycle of ICC media and sponsorship rights from 2015-2023. The immediacy being referred to is the ICC Board meeting of April 2014.

The bulk of the "position paper" comprises a section focusing on a 'distribution model' of ICC revenues. The ICC's current funding model distributes surplus revenues equally among Full Members and, in smaller proportions, to its Associate and Affiliate members. This, the proposal says, "does not recognise the contribution of individual members" and provides for a "distorted distribution model that undermines self-sufficiency." The "value contribution" of India is listed as "over 80%" with the other Full Members' contribution ranging between "0.1% to 5%." The proposal says: "If ICC funds were entirely allocated on the basis of where they came from, all Members bar two would suffer a seriously damaging reduction in their funding," a position "not favoured by BCCI, the ECB or CA."

To redress the "distorted distribution model", the new model recommends the creation of a "contribution cost" as recognition for every member's role in "contributing to generating ICC's revenues required to sustain the game." An estimate of the percentage break-up of "contribution costs" to the entire ICC revenue has been "worked on and negotiated by" the BCCI, the ECB and CA; this accords the three boards greater shares of the ICC's revenues as they increase. At the current rights-cycle revenue levels of $1.5 billion, for example, the BCCI's share would be 4.2%; should the new rights cycle gross revenue cross $3.5 billion, the BCCI's share will be 21% - a total of $766 million.

The BCCI-CA-ECB have also recommended the formation of a "standing team" of representatives from each of the Boards who have a mandate to look at "every element of each ICC event and event costs" and will regularly report to the F&CA committee.

The ICC's finance and commercial affairs committee, whose working group has put together these proposals, comprises the following: Giles Clarke (chairman, ECB), Alan Isaac (ICC president), Dave Richardson (chief executive), N Srinivasan (BCCI), Neil Speight (Associate and Affiliate member/ Bermuda Cricket Board), Wally Edwards (CA), Dave Cameron (WICB), with Campbell Jamieson (GM, commercial) and Faisal Hasnain (CFO).

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'Bowlers controlled runs well' - Rehman

Pakistan's left-arm spinner, Abdur Rehman said his side would be looking to dismiss Sri Lanka in the first session on the second day after the visitors ended the first day of the Sharjah Test at 220 for 5.

Pakistan lost the toss on a pitch that did not offer much help for bowlers early on, but the spinners were able to strike as the day wore on. While Saeed Ajmal picked up two wickets in 29 overs, Rehman bowled 24 tight overs at an economy rate of 1.87. He also bowled 120 dot balls, playing a vital role in containing Sri Lanka.

According to Rehman, the pitch was also difficult for the batsmen, who needed more time to settle in.

"The pitch is pretty flat and we have to very work hard," Rehman said. "It didn't turn much in the first two sessions but after that, it started to turn and I am hoping to get more turn in the third and fourth innings. Our bowlers were able to control the runs well. Our plan is to get them as soon as possible in first two hours and give them a tough time.

"It's not easy to play strokes, the batsmen need more time to settle in. We are aiming to take a hefty lead to support the bowlers in the third innings."

Rehman also rued the chances Pakistan missed, specially Mohammad Talha's dropped catch off Angelo Mathews, when the batsman was on 0. Mathews and Prasanna Jayawardene put on an unbeaten 54 runs for the sixth wicket, batting until the close of play.

"It was a difficult catch but Talha tried his best," said Rehman. "It has made some difference but we will try to get them out as soon as possible on day two."

Rehman has been a part of many Pakistan squads since his debut in 2007, but has played only 19 Tests so far. When asked about his sporadic Test appearances, the bowler said: "I am used to it. Actually this question - whether I will play or not - never came into my mind and the only aim is to perform on the day I play. I am always positive and do not let myself get disappointed or frustrated. The only thing I know is to show my ability whenever I get a chance."

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Ashraf suspension a 'violation of justice' - High Court

The two-judge bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has released its detailed judgment, citing the removal of Zaka Ashraf from the post of PCB chairman as against the principle of "natural justice". According to the judgment, a copy of which ESPNcricinfo has obtained, Ashraf was removed without being given the chance of a hearing.

Following the High Court ruling on Wednesday, Ashraf has been reinstated as PCB chairman and the cricket board stands restored with effect from May 25, 2013 - the day it was suspended by the IHC. The governing board, which was earlier dissolved, will also be reinstated. During the interim period, the PCB had signed short-term broadcasting deals, awarding the broadcast rights of the South Africa and Sri Lanka series to Ten Sports and Geo Super respectively and also appointed Moin Khan as the team manager. According to the judgement, the above decisions are still valid.

"The respondent Chaudhry Muhammad Zaka Ashraf was removed from the post of the Chairman, PCB in violation of the principle of natural justice," the judgement stated. "As no opportunity of hearing was provided to him as the time of removal, so by setting aside the impugned judgment we order restoration of Zaka Ashraf as chairman PCB."

A single judge bench headed by Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui last year had asked for changes in the structure of the PCB after hearing the writ petition filed by a former Rawalpindi Cricket Association official against the board elections held in May, when Ashraf was elected chairman for a four-year term under the new PCB constitution. The court had suspended Ashraf and questioned the legality of his election, calling the process "dubious" and "polluted".

Both Ashraf and the PCB appealed against the Siddique-judgment and the IHC subsequently formed a two-judge appellate bench, naming Justice Riaz Ahmad Khan and Justice Noor-ul-Haq Qureshi to hear the appeal. Both, after lengthy hearings, released their judgements on Thursday, allowing Ashraf to resume office.

Following Ashraf's suspension, Najam Sethi was appointed the interim chairman of the PCB. The Siddique-judgement, however, had directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to carry out fresh elections for the post of chairman within 90 days. But Sethi failed to hold those elections and instead, just before the deadline on October 15, the prime minister of Pakistan - the new patron of the PCB according to the court - Nawaz Sharif, dissolved the governing board of the PCB, and formed a five-member Interim Management Committee (IMC), headed by Sethi, to administer cricket in the country.

The latest judgement, however, did not overrule any of the decisions made by the IMC. "All decisions taken by PCB or IMC during the interim period would be considered as legal and would stand validated. Since the appointment of the Interim Management Committee was temporary, so with the pronouncement of this judgment, the said committee would stand dissolved. The situation for the PCB would come back to the day when the writ petition was filed."

The judges appellate bench, dismissed the original petition filed by Ahmad Nadeem Sadal, who first contested Ashraf's election. Sadal happens to be a former official of the Army Cricket Club in Rawalpindi, and the judges questioned how his fundamental rights were affected by Ashraf's presence as chairman.

"The petitioner was also required to establish direct or indirect injury to him and substantial interest in the proceedings," the judgement stated. "In the present case, the petitioner had nothing to do with the post of chairman, PCB. By appointment of the said chairman, no loss was caused to the petitioner, no right had been infringed; he was not a contender for the post of chairman, PCB and he has no cause of action or locus standi to file writ petition."

Historically, the PCB has been an autonomous body with the country's president as its Patron. But the Siddiqui-order named the prime minister as the new Patron, taking away all powers from the president. The fresh judgment, however, didn't overturn the order and the prime minister remains the Chief Patron.

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Lions reject claims of board interference

The Lions have rejected claims of undue interference by their board in on-field matters but have not managed to convince South Africa Test opener Alviro Petersen to reconsider his decision to step down as captain. Petersen quit the captaincy on Sunday after what the Lions said "he perceived to be interference by the board and convener of selectors," - something the franchise says they have no evidence of.

On Wednesday, Lions' CEO Greg Fredericks told ESPNcricinfo he had "yet to pinpoint where the interference occurred," but understood Petersen's unhappiness to be centered on a meeting called by the Lions chairman Archie Pretorius. The discussion was held on Saturday and included Petersen, Pretorius, Lions' coach Geoff Toyana and convener of selectors Hussein Manack, who is also a national selector. Manack presented a "role clarification," session, which explained the responsibilities of the coach, captain and selectors.

According to Fredericks, Petersen saw the meeting as "interference from the selectors and offered to step down." He was asked to reconsider but on Sunday, Petersen told the board he was going to quit the captaincy. Thami Tsolekile took over hours before the match against the Knights.

Fredericks and Petersen met today to clear up issues surrounding his resignation and "put to bed" all concerns, as stated in a Lions' press release. "We have put the issue behind us and we want to move forward in the best interests of cricket," Fredericks said.

"Alviro requested me to clarify the perception that was created in the media that the CEO of Lions Cricket stated that he could find no evidence of interference by the selectors," Fredericks said. "In all my interviews with the media I mentioned that I could find no evidence or incidents of interference by the Board other than Alviro's view that the meeting convened by Hussein Manack on the instruction of the Chairperson of the Lions Board, in Bloemfontein on Saturday, 11 January was such."

Despite that, Petersen has opted not to rescind his decision to step down and the Lions have accepted his relinquishing the captaincy. "We respect Alviro's decision to resign as captain," Fredericks said. "All parties have now agreed to close the chapter on this matter and not to comment any further on it."

Petersen will continue playing for the Lions under Tsolekile, as he did in Wednesday's match against the table-topping Cobras. "I wish to finally put this episode behind me, and focus on playing cricket," Petersen said. "I want to congratulate Thami on his appointment as Lions' captain and wish him all the best."

The Lions, who are defending the ongoing Ram Slam T20 competition, are at the bottom of the points table after losing all three of their matches. Their next fixture is against the Titans on Friday in Potchefstroom.

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Karunaratne hopes to build on starts

Just eight Tests old, Dimuth Karunaratne has the skills to become a fine international opener. With more consistency and a better understanding of his own game, he may well be the answer to Sri Lanka's top order as they continue replacing the old guard

When Dimuth Karunaratne fell to Abdur Rehman in the first over after lunch, he pondered his dismissal for a moment but there was nothing to challenge, because he had clearly hit the ball to slip. But he knew that once again, he had earned a start, seen through the nerves, and then fallen away when a substantial score called. The promise of his batting is clear every time he comes to the crease, but he is yet to produce a knock worthy of his ability, nor one that would put his place in the side truly beyond question.

Karunaratne has played 17 Test innings, but only in five of those occasions has he faced fewer than 25 balls. In all but six innings, he has crossed 15. He has appeared insecure outside off stump on certain occasions, particularly when the new ball seams across him, but only few batsmen can say they did not consistently flirt with danger early in their careers. Even when he has struggled, however, he is swift and confident when he does detect a ball in his range - a symptom of the strong, uncluttered mind that breeds resilient openers.

The few times he has breached 20 so effortlessly, it seemed as if he was heading towards a defining innings. His 34 in Sharjah was not among his most convincing innings, but even there, a whipped boundary through midwicket off Saeed Ajmal, and a square drive off Mohammad Talha inspired some confidence. Which is why when he left the field at lunch, the most arduous examinations had seemed to be behind him.

"I'm disappointed that I've not been able to convert my 30s into big scores," Karunaratne said. "No one wants to get out after getting a start, but sometimes I have bad luck. But I do try to convert my 30s into big innings, because I feel like if I get a big one, I will have the confidence to keep doing that."

During Sri Lanka's tour of Australia, Karunaratne consistently got very good balls in the first 15 overs, vindicating his comment about bad fortune. Even in this series, he has faced two fine deliveries from Junaid Khan. But the larger truth of his failures so far has been that he is the architect of his own downfall. Many times, he is a victim of ambition - playing the booming drive or rasping cut at one too many deliveries. His lowest score in this series has been 24, but in five innings, he only has one fifty - which came in a chase of 137.

Yet, aggression is also his strength. He has amassed mammoth scores for the A team, largely by taking risks and earning momentum. More encouragingly, he has been just as good away as he has been at home, as Karunaratne was the top-scorer in the last two away tours for the A team, to South Africa in 2012, and the Caribbean last year.

In Sharjah, he fell attempting to hit a full and wide delivery, and while it is easy to suggest he should have left that ball alone, it would have been just as simple to brand the delivery a poor one if Karunaratne had connected as he wished. The same could be said about the short and wide delivery to which he perished in the first innings in Abu Dhabi.

Karunaratne feels he must play a little more conservatively to find his feet in Tests, but more incisive judgement and a better understanding of his own game would also serve him well. Both of those qualities are largely borne from experience, which is why the selectors must consider him an ongoing investment. After all, there is no doubt he has earned his place.

"The reason I haven't been able to replicate what I've done for the A team is that there's a big difference between the A team level and this one. The best bowlers from each country are here in internationals. Also, when I've played at the top level, I've cut down on my scoring shots and tried to bat for a long time. Usually if I bat through the first hour or first session, I would have hit a fifty - so that's a change at this level. But I feel like if I continue to do what I've been doing, I can turn it into an advantage and succeed."

By a statistical measure, Karunaratne's tour of the UAE has been a moderate success so far. His tally of 190 is the third highest among Sri Lanka's batsmen, even if he has had one more innings than most others.

It is glib to compare him unfavourably alongside the newer Kaushal Silva, because not only is Silva a more seasoned domestic player, his cricket is also characterised by consistency. Karunaratne may suffer more lows in his career, but at his best, he is capable of the ravishing innings that ease the burden on the men batting around him. If Silva, Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne are the anchors of Sri Lanka's future top four, the dynamism and stroke range Karunaratne offers might be the key in placing opposition bowlers in discomfort. His strengths are through the leg side, while the others are better off-side players.

For now, Karunaratne appears to have the raw materials to become a fine international opener. He is just lacking the adhesive that might bring his talents all together.

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All-round Pakistan Women stay unbeaten

Pakistan Women 93 for 3 (Javeria 51*, Tice 3-31) beat Ireland Women 92 (Joyce 36*, Mir 3-11) by seven wickets
Scorecard

Pakistan Women made lighter work of their target of 93 against Ireland Women in Doha, than they had done chasing 126 against South Africa Women on Sunday. While that chase went into the final over and had six Pakistan wickets going down, here Pakistan eased to a seven-wicket win in 26 overs. While Pakistan were missing their anchor from the South Africa game, Bismah Maroof, opener Javeria Khan did the job for them here, finishing 51 not out.

The loss means Ireland, in order to make the final, will have to beat South Africa, and then hope Pakistan do the same.

After Ireland chose to bat, none of their batsmen could make any contribution of note. Only opener Clare Shillington and No. 5 Isobel Joyce got into double digits - Joyce was left not out on 36 off 104 when Ireland were bowled out in the 49th over. Pakistan captain Sana Mir finished with the best figures of the bowlers, claiming 3 for 11 with her legspin.

In the chase, while some of Pakistan's top order failed to finish the small chase off after getting starts, Javeria's innings made sure the team got home with plenty to spare.

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Rhodes leads England in U-19 World Cup

Will Rhodes of Yorkshire will captain a 15-man England U-19 for the Under-19 World Cup in the UAE next month.

Rhodes, Nottingham born but educated in Hull, played nine limited-overs matches for Yorkshire last season as he was carefully integrated into the side. He has yet to make his Championship debut. He is one of four Yorkshire players in a squad that includes representatives from nine of the 18 first-class counties.

England's U19 side, which has had a thin time of late, will begin with a game against hosts UAE at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on February 14, before playing Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the other group stage matches in Dubai. If they progress further they could then go on to face one of fifteen other countries in the latter stages of the tournament.

David Graveney, head selector of the England Development Programme, said: "This squad contains an exciting mix of young talent which we look forward to seeing perform on the world stage against top class opposition.

Squad: Will Rhodes (Yorkshire, capt), Ed Barnard (Worcestershire), Joe Clark (Worcestershire), Ben Duckett (Northamptonshire), Harry Finch (Sussex), Matthew Fisher (Yorkshire), Miles Hammond (Gloucestershire), Ryan Higgins (Middlesex), Robert Jones (Lancashire), Robert Sayer (Leicestershire), Josh Shaw (Yorkshire), Dominic Sibley (Surrey), Jonathan Tattersall (Yorkshire), Jack Winslade (Surrey), Luke Wood (Nottinghamshire)

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