The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Kuala Lumpur

Defending champion Pakistan thrashed hosts Malaysia by eight wickets with 40 overs to spare while Australia, India and England also posted easy victories on Sunday's opening day of the Under-19 World Cup.

Pakistan, placed in Group A, won the toss and elected to bowl, dismissing Malaysia for 75 in just 24.4 overs, with right-arm seamer Adil Raza taking 6-29 and Mohammad Amir 3-11.

Nik Azril top scored for Malaysia with 28, but nine of the 11 batsmen failed to reach double figures.

Pakistan had no trouble reaching the target in only 9.3 overs, with Umar Amin making 31 and Ahmed Shahzad scoring an unbeaten 27.

In Group B, India, runner-up in the 2006 edition of the biennial tournament, defeated Papua New Guinea by 195 runs.

Put in to bat first, India piled up 280-5 from its 50 overs with Tanmay Srivastava making an unbeaten 83 from 76 balls and captain Virat Kohli scoring 40. In reply, Papua New Guinea was all out for 85 in 27.5 overs. Sayeed Abdullah Iqbal took 3-2 in three overs.

In Group C, Namibia struggled to bowl out Australia for 312 in 48 overs, after captain Michael Hill made 124 in 71 balls with the help of 12 sixes and seven fours. In reply Namibia mustered only 163 before it was all out in the 31st over.

Australia, which was 276-4 in the 40th over, looked set for a giant total, but lost its last six wickets for only 36 runs in eight overs.

Ashley van Rooi of Namibia took 3-25, with Ya France getting 3-31.

England crushed Ireland by 10 wickets in Group D, scoring the target of 110 runs in 15.5 overs with opener James Taylor making an unbeaten 51 in 63 balls. His partner, Billy Godleman, made 38 not out in 36 balls.

A total of 16 teams are taking part in the tournament, being played at seven venues around Kuala Lumpur, Klan, Johor and Penang.

The top two teams from each of the four groups will progress to the quarterfinals. The final is on March 2.

Top-seeded Pakistan is the only team to have won back-to-back titles at this level, having triumphed in 2004 and 2006.

The 2000 winner India, is seeded second, with Australia - winner in the inaugural event in 1988 and also in 2002 - seeded third.

England, which won the 1999 edition, is seeded fourth.