Afghanistan made their intentions clear at the Cobham Oval in Whangarei on Saturday, comfortably beating Pakistan by five wickets in their Group D 2018 ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup opener.

In what was largely a see-saw encounter, the 75-run stand for the fourth wicket between Ikram Ali Khil and Darwish Rasool proved the difference as Afghanistan rode on the latter’s unbeaten 78-ball 76 to open their account.