A remorseless Australia crushed world champions India by 79 runs in the ICC U19 World Cup final at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Sunday. This is their fourth junior World Cup win.

The trophy cabinet Down Under is now heaving. This was the first U19 World Cup triumph for the Aussies since 2010, to go with their senior ODI World Cup win against the same opponents last year, not to mention the women’s World Cup and the World Test Championship.

Australia won the toss and batted first, scoring a challenging 253 for seven. If India were to win, it would have to be the highest total ever chased in an U19 World Cup final. But the Indians were hardly in the chase, their innings subsiding to 174 all out in 43.5 overs.

The Australian fast-bowling quartet – picked especially for this match – were remorseless in their disciplines. Led by the faster pair of Callum Vidler and player of the match Mahli Beardman and well supported by Charlie Anderson and Tom Straker, their accuracy for such young cricketers was remarkable, offering the Indian batters very little to hit. The Indians were therefore unable to build any real momentum and lost wickets at regular intervals. And when the pace bowlers took a breather, offspinner Raf MacMillan snuck in to steal three wickets himself.

The two key dismissals for the Australians were the prize scalps of India captain Uday Saharan (8) and dasher Sachin Dhas (9). The former was well caught at backward point by Hugh Weibgan driving loosely at Beardman while Dhas edged a push outside the off-stump to wicketkeeper Ryan Hicks off MacMillan.

Opener Adarsh Singh attempted to provide the innings with backbone and succeeded in batting 77 balls for his 47 before gloving a hook off Beardman to the keeper. India refused to give up and Murugan Abhishek played with spirit and skill in the latter overs to strike 42 in 46 balls, including five fours and a six before he perished bravely attempting a big hit.

Beardman had the most eye-catching analysis, claiming 3-15 in seven overs, while Vidler took 2-35 in his 10 overs. MacMillan, with 3-43 off 10, chipped in superbly.

Australia bravely batted first in cloudy conditions and opener Sam Konstas quickly went, bowled through the gate by India’s best bowler, paceman Raj Limbani who went on the take 3-38 in his 10 overs.

Australia, however, were steadied by a sterling second-wicket partnership of 78 in 109 balls for the second wicket from Harry Dixon (42) and skipper Weibgen (48) and then a further 66 in 68 balls for the fourth wicket from Harjas Singh (55 in 64 balls) and Ryan Hicks.

They were then indebted to a smart 46 not out from Ollie Peake at the back end of the innings to take them to their final total.

Throughout the innings, the Australians batted calmly and sensibly, ensuring that their innings went the distance.

Dixon was initially the more aggressive of the two batters, taking 15 off Naman Tiwari’s opening over, but he then settled down to play the supporting role to his captain whose timing and fluency were impressive.

The pair had taken the total to 94 – the highest partnership against India in this tournament – when Tiwari came back to claim Weibgen’s wicket, caught at backward point driving. Dixon went soon after, foxed by a slower ball from Tiwari that he lobbed to cover.

Singh, who had had a poor tournament to this point, averaging just eight, began cautiously but a straight drive for six off Priyanshu Moliya seemed to settle him and he went on to strike two further sixes and three fours in a fine 55 in 64 balls before he was leg before to left-arm spinner Saumy Pandey, India’s highest wicket-taker in the competition with 18 scalps.

Australia needed the left-handed Peake to bat through the remainder of the innings and this he did with coolness and skill striking two fours and a six in his 43-ball innings. Peake drove the last ball of the innings for four over extra cover to enable Australia to break through the 250 mark and set India a challenging victory target that was to prove a bridge too far for the champions.

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INDIA: Adarsh Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, Musheer Khan, Uday Saharan (c), Priyanshu Moliya, Sachin Dhas, Aravelly Avanish (wk), Murugan Abhishek, Naman Tiwari, Raj Limbani, Saumy Pandey.

AUSTRALIA: Harry Dixon, Sam Konstas, Hugh Weibgen (c), Harjas Singh, Ryan Hicks (wk), Oliver Peake, Charlie Anderson, Raf MacMillan, Tom Straker, Mahli Beardman, Callum Vidler.

As the Australians celebrated their fourth ICC U19 World Cup victory, young Proteas paceman Kwena Maphaka was announced as player of the tournament.

The left-arm fast bowler claimed 21 scalps in the tournament, just one short of the all-time record.

“That really means a lot,” he said. “I’ve put in a lot of work for this and I’m really happy that I could come out and have a good tournament. Unfortunately I couldn’t take the team to the final (SA were beaten by India in the semifinals) but happy I could play well.”

Aussie skipper Hugh Weibgen was understandably delighted by the win. “It’s unbelievable. I am so proud of this group of boys and the coaches. A lot of work has gone in over the last few months. India are obviously a class side. They dominated the tournament, but they were on the wrong side of the result today.”

Speaking about his fast bowlers, Weibgen said: “As a unit they work so well together. They know their roles; they know their jobs. I’ll be very surprised if the four of them don’t go a long way.”

One of the four, Mahli Beardman with figures of 3/15 in seven overs, was made player of the match. He said: “It’s pretty surreal; it hasn’t fully set in yet. But it’s something we’ve been working towards for a long, long time so the hard work has paid off. “

On India he said: “They’ve been incredible and we knew it was going to be a hard battle. As for me, I just wanted to use my short balls and hit the top of off. I’ve been thinking about my bowling, my field settings and working on the mental side.”

He added that it had been a pleasure working and playing with the "cartel" of Aussie pace bowlers.

South Africa pace sensation wins coveted award at 2024 event

South Africa pace sensation Kwena Maphaka has been named the Player of the Tournament at the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2024.

Maphaka was crowned the Player of the Tournament, seeing off Ubaid Shah, Saumy Pandey, Musheer Khan, Jewel Andrew, Hugh Weibgen, Uday Saharan and teammate Steve Stolk.

The record-breaking South Africa pacer has been one of the standout quicks at the tournament, with his 21 scalps just one short of the tournament record set by Bangladesh's Enamul Haque Jr in 2014.

Maphaka did claim a record of his own with the 17-year-old becoming the first player to collect a trio of five-wicket hauls at a single edition of the tournament.

Best of Kwena Maphaka | U19 CWC 2024

Maphaka joins an elite list of players who have been Player of the Tournament at the men's event in the past.

At the last edition too, the award was won by a South African — Dewald Brevis, for a record-breaking tally of runs in the tournament.

Magnificent Maphaka | SA v SL | ICC U19 Men’s CWC 2022

Player of the Tournament at the U19 World Cup

Year Player of the Tournament

1988 Not awarded

1998 Not awarded

2000 Yuvraj Singh

2002 Tatenda Taibu

2004 Shikhar Dhawan

2006 Cheteshwar Pujara

2008 Tim Southee

2010 Dominic Hendricks

2012 Will Bosisto

2014 Aiden Markram

2016 Mehedi Hasan

2018 Shubman Gill

2020 Yashasvi Jaiswal

2022 Dewald Brevis

2024 Kwena Maphaka

Just like in last year’s ICC World Test Championship Final and the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup final, India and Australia are set to clash in the showpiece finale of another landmark ICC tournament, this time at the ICC U19 Men’s World Cup 2024 in South Africa on Sunday.

Undefeated thus far in the tournament, both teams will stand on the brink of history as they take to the field in Benoni on 11 February.

Australia are aiming for a rare quadruple after clinching three major pieces of ICC silverware in the past year, which includes the two titles named above and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023, won twelve months ago on South African soil.

At stake for India meanwhile, is the prospect of a record-extending sixth ICC U19 Men’s CWC title, and their first successful defence of the crown. Amazingly, India are featuring in the fifth successive final at this event, and the defending champions will be keen to maintain their dominance at this event.

How they have fared so far

India

India dominated the early stages of the tournament, with commanding victories over Bangladesh, Ireland, and the USA, thanks to stellar performances from Saumy Pandey, Musheer Khan, and Naman Tiwari.

In the Super Six stage, Musheer Khan's second century set up a vital win against New Zealand, while Uday Saharan and Sachin Dhas starred with centuries in a big victory over Nepal.

The semifinal clash against South Africa posed a stern test for India, with the likes of Kwena Maphaka and Tristan Luus proving formidable. However, a resilient partnership between Saharan and Dhas once again steered India through a chastening trial, ensuring their place in the final.

This intense victory under pressure undoubtedly served as invaluable preparation for the young Indian unit ahead of the ultimate showdown against Australia in the final.

Team trends: India have been dominant batting first in the tournament, winning each of their first five games by setting up a target. Three of those five wins came by a margin of over 200 runs.

 

Australia

Hugh Weibgen’s Australian side navigated the group stage with varying levels of dominance, and importantly, different players have come to the fore at different stages in the competition.

Led by Callum Vidler, their pacers dominated Namibia, but they needed skipper Weibgen to save them from a difficult position and carry them to a win. Against Zimbabwe, Harry Dixon starred with the bat before Harkirat Bajwa's bowling dismantled the opposition. Rounding off their group stage fixtures, Ryan Hicks came to the rescue in their win against Sri Lanka that cemented their position atop the table.

In the Super Six stage, Weibgen's sensational century against rivals England set the tone for a dominant win in Kimberley. Next, despite a batting slip-up against West Indies, Sam Konstas' century helped Australia post a competitive total before rain intervened and helped them seal top spot in Group 2.

In the semifinals against Pakistan, Australia's batting faltered yet again after Tom Straker’s six-wicket haul had put them on top. Digging deep, they managed to scrape through by one wicket to set up a mouth-watering tie against India.

Team trends: Australia have endured shaky moments in each of their three run-chases in the tournament to date. Meanwhile, in the two games they batted first, they won by 225 and 110 runs respectively.

 

Key head-to-head battles to watch out for

Arshin Kulkarni v Callum Vidler

Callum Vidler has been Australia’s go-to bowler with the new ball, the pacer’s immaculate line and length posing trouble for top-order batters in the opposition ranks.

Arshin Kulkarni, notably, has struggled with seam movement early on in his innings, particularly outside his off-stump. Three of his dismissals in the tournament have come with edges behind to the wicketkeeper or the slip cordon.

Given Vidler’s skill with the new ball, the Australian will be a significant threat to the Indian opener, who hasn't quite set the tournament alight.

Sachin Dhas v Tom Straker

Coming off the back of 116 and 96 in the final Super Six game and semifinal respectively, Sachin Dhas is India's trump card. The batter, who began the tournament at No 7, is now India's mainstay in the middle order, but Kwena Maphaka exposed a minor weakness on a crumbling Benoni wicket with a slower delivery.

Change of pace hasn't quite sat well with Dhas this tournament, seeing him struggle with his timing. While Australia’s pace attack is known for extra zip and pace on the ball, Straker has been clever with his pace variations. The seamer is also coming into the showdown fresh from a six-wicket haul in the last game and can trouble Dhas.

The Indian batter has been prolific off his back foot in the tournament against the pacers and is likely India's key batter in the final against a strong Australia pace attack.

Hugh Weibgen v Saumy Pandey

Saumy Pandey has troubled both left and right-handers with his tight bowling through the middle overs in this tournament. Weibgen, meanwhile, has been Australia's pillar in the middle-order, but has a tough match-up coming in the final against India.

Weibgen was undone by left-arm spinners in three out of six innings in the tournament – Zimbabwe’s Ryan Simbi, England's Theo Wylie, and Sri Lanka’s Vishwa Lahiru, all left-arm orthodox spinners.

Saumy has been the best left-arm spinner in the tournament, and the prospect of facing him in the final will be a daunting one for the Aussie skipper.

Predicted XI

Australia

Harry Dixon, Sam Konstas, Hugh Weibgen (c), Harjas Singh, Ryan Hicks (wk), Ollie Peake, Tom Campbell, Raf MacMillan, Tom Straker, Mahli Beardman, Callum Vidler

India

Adarsh Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, Musheer Khan, Uday Saharan (c), Priyanshu Moliya, Sachin Dhas, Aravelly Avanish (wk), Murugan Abhishek, Naman Tiwari, Raj Limbani, Saumy Pandey.

Australia reached their first ICC U19 Cricket World Cup final since 2018 with a thrilling one-wicket win against Pakistan in their semifinal match at Willowmore Park, Benoni, with five balls to spare.

 

In a low scoring encounter, Australia were asked to reach 180 to win and, with the Pakistan bowlers taking wickets at vital times and never losing hope, it came down to a last-wicket undefeated partnership of 17 between Raf MacMillan (19*) and Callum Vidler (3*) to get them home.

With three runs needed from the last over, MacMillan edged the first ball from Mohammad Zeeshan past fine leg, which was up in the circle, to the boundary, taking his team to 181/9.

Australia won a nerve-wracking thriller in Benoni to reach the #U19WorldCup 2024 final 🎇

Details 👇#AUSvPAKhttps://t.co/6vNkGidSwK

— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) February 8, 2024

After the Australian bowlers had the upper hand in bowling out Pakistan for 179 in 48.5 overs, it seemed a formality that their strong batting line-up would complete the job and the victory.

Openers Harry Dixon and Sam Konstas saw off the opening 10-over powerplay, reaching 33/0, the first time Pakistan had not taken a wicket in the first powerplay all tournament.

However, the first ball of the 11th over saw Konstas bowled for 14 and, after a decent start, a cluster of wickets had Australia at 59/4 after 16.3 overs.

A partnership was desperately needed and 43 runs came for the fifth wicket between Dixon and Ollie Peake, Dixon reaching his third fifty of the tournament from 70 balls (5x4), then losing his off stump soon after.

Peake (49) found a partner in Tom Campbell (25), adding 44 for the sixth wicket, edging closer to the target, but Pakistan kept bouncing back, none more so than fast bowling sensation, the 15-year-old Ali Raza who kept producing the goods when most needed.

He caused doubt and panic in the Australian camp as what appeared to be a gettable total suddenly looked rather difficult.

He finished with 4-34 in his 10 overs, but it wasn’t quite enough as Pakistan fell agonisingly short.

Pakistan spinner Arafat Minhas bagged 2-20 in his 10 overs, with Ubaid Shah (1-45) and Naveed Khan (1-25) also among the wickets.

Winning the toss, Australian captain Hugh Weibgen sent Pakistan in, a decision which looked to pay rich dividends as his bowlers maintained a challenging line and length to keep the pressure on the batsmen.

Fast bowler Tom Straker was superb in claiming 6-24 in 9.5 overs, the best figures in a semifinal of a U19 World Cup.

He was deservedly the Man of the Match. MacMillan, Mahli Beardman and Callum Vidler were the other wicket takers.

Tom Straker's 6/24 helped Australia win an intense encounter against Pakistan ⚡

He's the @aramco #POTM 🎉#AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/7fyoj0DfBd

— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) February 8, 2024

Azan Awais and Minhas scored 52 apiece to give the bowlers something to defend, the only other double figure score coming from Shamyl Hussain at the top of the order with 17.

Sunday’s final at the same venue, will see Australia seeking their sixth U19 World Cup and India their fourth.

WTC23 Final 🔄 CWC23 Final 🔄 #U19WorldCup 2024 Final

It's 🇮🇳 vs 🇦🇺 again! pic.twitter.com/s0v5Zpswh0

— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) February 8, 2024

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AUSTRALIA: Sam Konstas, Harry Dixon, Hugh Weibgen (capt), Harjas Singh, Ryan Hicks (wkt), Oliver Peake, Tom Campbell, Raf MacMillan, Tom Straker, Mahli Beardman, Callum Vidler

PAKISTAN: Shahzaib Khan, Shamyl Hussain, Azan Awais, Saad Baig (capt, wkt), Ahmad Hassan, Haroon Arshad, Arafat Minhas, Ubaid Shah, Mohammad Zeeshan, Ali Raza, Naveed Ahmed Khan

The Indian U19 team stunned the host South African U19s with a brilliant fightback to clinch a thrilling two wicket win in their ICC World Cup semifinal at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Tuesday.

After losing four early wickets leaving them in massive trouble, Sachin Dhas and captain Uday Saharan shared in a match defining 171-run fifth wicket partnership off 197 balls to set their side on their way to the tight win.

Dhas cruised to an impressive 96 off 95 balls, hitting 11 fours and a six, while Saharan anchored things with 81 off 124 balls, and was the last wicket to fall after guiding his team to level scores.

The Indian chase got off to a disastrous start as Kwena Maphaka bowled a vicious rising delivery first ball of the innings, which took the shoulder of Ardash Singh’s bat and flew to keeper Lhuan-dre Pretorius to give his side the perfect star.

Tristan Luus then took over and had Arshin Kulkarni (12) and Musheer Khan (4) caught by his skipper Juan James in the slips, and had Priyanshu Moliya (5) caught by Pretorius, reducing India to 32/4 in the 12th over.

This brought Dhas in to join Saharan and they steadied things by batting slowly at first, taking their side to 73/4 at the end of 20 overs.

Both batters then picked up the pace as they took their side past the hundred run mark in the 25th over and Dhas brought up his fifty with a boundary off Oliver Whitehead in the 27th.

The Indian 150 came up in the 34th over, followed by Saharan bringing up his half century with a four off James in the 36th.

India brought up their 200 in the 41st over, and at that stage bizarrely Maphaka, the tournament’s leading wicket taker, had only bowled one over since the 11th.

INDIA SECURE FINAL SPOT

Heartbreak for our SA U19s as India win the semi-final in Benoni.

You can be PROUD of your achievements throughout the tournament boys 👏 🇿🇦

Thank you for your continuous support Mzansi 🙏 #WozaNawe #BePartOfIt #U19WorldCup pic.twitter.com/U6vTSe3bFE

— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) February 6, 2024

He was finally brought back in the 43rd and immediately made the breakthrough having Dhas tamely caught by David Teeger at extra cover, four short of what would have been a fantastic century, to reduce them to 203/5.

Maphaka still had a final word as he had Aravelly Avanish (10) stunningly caught by a diving Rilee Norton at fine leg, while Murugan Abhishek was run out for a duck in the next over as India slipped to 227/7.

Raj Limbani, 13no off four balls, made sure there wouldn’t be any late drama as he struck a six and a four, and despite Saharan falling with the scores level, they made it home.

Maphaka, 3/32, and Luus, 3/37, did everything they could but it wasn’t enough for the distraught South Africans in the end.

A crucial 96 after walking in to bat at 32/4 🙌

Sachin Dhas' knock was instrumental in India's victory in the semi-final 👏#U19WorldCup pic.twitter.com/SGlP7bLBJ8

— ICC (@ICC) February 6, 2024

In the first innings half centuries from the bats of Pretorius and Richard Seletswane helped SA reach 244/7.

Pretorius struck 76 off 102 balls (6x4, 3x6) and Seletswane 64 off 100 (4x4, 2x6) as they gave their bowlers something to defend against the tournament favourites.

At the start of play India won the toss and chose to field, with the South African innings getting off to a rocky start as Steve Stolk (14) chased a wide delivery from Limbani, giving keeper Avanish and easy catch behind the stumps.

New man Teeger fell for a second ball duck as he missed a Limbani ball that swung back in superbly to beat his defences and crash into the stumps leaving SA on 47/2 in the ninth over.

Seletswane joined Pretorius at the crease and they set about rebuilding the innings with a 72-run third wicket stand.

They moved their side confidently to 90/2 after 20 overs, which included Pretorius bringing up a well-deserved half century off 59 balls, but they were then stopped in their tracks by the introduction of the spinners.

Khan and Molina bowled in tandem for 11 straight overs, in which time only 30 runs were scored and Pretorius fell, pulling Khan to Abhishek at midwicket to take a blinding catch, leaving SA on 120/3.

Oliver Whitehead (22) joined Seletswane, who finally decided to open up after being on 25 off 75 balls, as he slog swept both Khan and Molina for sixes to boost SA over the 150 run mark in the 38th over.

Whitehead skied Khan to be caught, Seletswane brought up his half century, and new man Dewan Marais (3) was caught on the boundary trying to slog sweep Saumy Pandey for six, as SA slipped to 174/5 after an action packed few overs.

James (24) came in to give the innings a bit of impetus as he combined with Seletswane for a quickfire 40-run stand off 25 balls, before both fell in quick succession as they slipped to 220/7.

A nice cameo of 23no off 12 balls from Luus, which included two well struck sixes got SA to their eventual total, while Limbani, 3/60, and Khan, 2/43, were the pick of the bowlers.

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SOUTH AFRICA: Lhuan-dre Pretorius (wk), Steve Stolk, David Teeger, Richard Seletswane, Dewan Marais, Juan James (c), Oliver Whitehead, Riley Norton, Tristan Luus, Nqobani Mokoena, Kwena Maphaka

INDIA: Adarsh Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, Priyanshu Moliya, Uday Saharan (c), Sachin Dhas, Musheer Khan, Aravelly Avanish (wk), Murugan Abhishek, Raj Limbani, Naman Tiwari, Saumy Pandey

PAKISTAN BEAT BANGLADESH IN NAILBITER

Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field.

A superb bowling effort saw Pakistan being bowled out for 155. Bangladesh needed to win the contest in 38.1 overs to ensure a net run rate advantage over Pakistan, which would've helped them qualify for the semifinals. 

However, they fell short by five runs.

After seeing off the first few overs, Shahzaib Khan and Shamyl Hussain opened their arms.

The latter took the lead in run-scoring but also fell after he left Rohanat Doullah Borson delivery that jagged in and crashed against his off stump.

Although Pakistan were at a relatively safe 50/1 at the end of the first Powerplay, the Tigers struck back in the middle overs.

Led by Borson, and Sheikh Jibon, they ran through the Pakistan top and middle-order.

The side had lost their sixth wicket for 89. The batting innings never recovered from this start and couldn't bat out their quota of overs.

Jibon and Borson were the most efficient Bangladesh bowlers. Both of them finished with identical figures of 4-24.

Ubaid Shah fought back for Pakistan with two quick wickets up front, including the aggressive Jishan Alam.

He returned to get a third wicket in the form of Ahrar Amin. The batter edged one away from the first slip, but Haroon Arshad dived to take a brilliant catch.

Ubaid's third was Bangladesh's fourth wicket, and the side needed Ariful Islam and Md Shihab James to stand up for them.

But Ariful fell in the very next over. He had nearly succeeded in dispatching an Ali Raza delivery past point, but the ball was brilliantly intercepted by Shamyl, who took a stunning blinder at point.

In the 20th over, Ubaid struck for a fourth time to reduce Bangladesh at 83/6.

Shihab and newcomer Mahfuzur Rahman set about rebuilding the chase, of which 73 runs remained.

Shihab took the lead in scoring, while Mahfuzur remained solid at the other end. Shihab was lucky to survive in the 29th over, when Ubaid couldn't hold on to a straightforward catch.

However, Ubaid made amends in the very next over by snaring Shihab. Ali Raza contributed soon after, and Pakistan were on top once more.

Pakistan were nearly there when a direct hit got them the ninth wicket at 127.

However, Borson and Maruf Mridha fought on for the final wicket. The duo brought Bangladesh at the brink, and the side needed merely six runs to win by the 37th over. However, Mohammad Zeeshan forced Maruf to fend one back to his stump, and managed to wrap things for Pakistan

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IRELAND SURPRISE NEW ZEALAND

Ireland won the toss and elected to bat.

Ireland batters showed their aggressive intent early on, going at about six an over, before the Kiwi pacers struck back by removing their openers.

Gavin Roulston and Kian Hilton then got about reconstructing the Irish innings. Hilton scored yet another impressive half-century, to push Ireland closer to 200.

The European side did cross that mark, but Ewald Schreuder's sensational spell brought the Black Caps back into the game.

Roulston's fighting 82 helped Ireland finish past 250. Roulston's knock encompassed six fours. Hilton was the second-best with 72 to his name. Schreuder was the pick of the Kiwi bowlers with his 4-46.

Disciplined work from Ireland ensured that the New Zealand innings had a sedate start.

Sharp work in the field and Oliver Riley's splendid bowling ensured that the top three were back in the hut by the 24th over.

New Zealand lost two more, including skipper Oscar Jackson, before inclement weather stopped the game.

The game couldn't resume, and Ireland were declared winners by 41 runs.

Thus, the European side ended their campaign on a winning note.

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ENGLAND THUMP ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to field

Theo Wylie's kept the scoreboard ticking, even as England lost two big wickets within the first 15 overs.

Zimbabwe's sharp work in the field, helped them garner wickets at regular intervals. This included the unusual dismissal of Hamza Shaikh.

The batter jammed the ball back onto his shoe and then picked it up while it was still rolling. He was declared out for obstructing the field.

When Wylie fell for 61, England had 116 on board, with half their side back in the pavilion.

An important stand between Charlie Allison and Haydon Mustard, helped England reach 237/7 at their 50 over mark. Allison finished at 76, while Mustard scored 41.

Zimbabwe's chase was dismantled by the superb turn of Tazeem Ali.

The young Chevrons were 51/3 when Tazeem struck first. He then went on to garner the remaining six wickets, even as Zimbabwe's innings went into a tailspin.

Tazeem's 7-29 won him the Player of the Match accolades. Thus, England managed to sign off with a win.

After a one-day break in Super Six action, the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup resumed with a triple-header on Friday, with teams vying for coveted semifinal spots.

South Africa became the first team to secure qualification into the final four with a commanding 119-run victory over Sri Lanka in Potchefstroom. Once again, Kwena Maphaka was the chief destroyer, dismantling the islanders' batting line-up with support from Riley Norton.

The match between West Indies and Australia was affected by rain, leading to both teams claiming one point each. Ultimately, it was Australia who secured the final qualifying spot from Group 2, while West Indies’ brilliant tournament ended in a heartbreak.

India put up a dominating display against Nepal, recording a huge 132-run victory to book their place in the knockout stages. Uday Saharan and Sachin Dhas were the architects of the win, recording a century each while Saumy Pandey's four-for derailed the chase.

India beat Nepal by 132 runs in Bloemfontein

India 297 for five (50) v Nepal 165 for nine (50)

Opting to bat first, India capitalised on the fresh pitch in Bloemfontein, with Adarsh Singh displaying intent from the word go. The southpaw was dealing only in boundaries, hitting four in the first four overs but was soon caught behind down leg-side by the dynamic Gulshan Jha.

Arshin Kulkarni, playing a supporting role alongside Adarsh, found his rhythm in the last over of the Powerplay with two boundaries. The partnership was ticking along nicely before confusion between the pair resulted in Priyanshu Moliya, promoted up the order for today’s game, being run out while attempting to steal a fourth run.

Arshin could not make amends either as Aakash Chand’s pace got the better of the opener who could only prod a thick outside edge into the gloves of Uttam Magar.

There was still no sign of two-time centurion Musheer Khan as India opted to experiment with their batting line-up in the final Super Six match.

Despite the top three batters failing to capitalise on their starts, captain Uday Saharan and Sachin Dhas assumed the responsibility of steering the team towards a big total.

Following a period of measured play, Dhas unleashed an aggressive onslaught against Chand in the 20th over, hitting three stylish boundaries straight back past the bowler. Even the spinners couldn't evade his onslaught, as Dhas executed a remarkable inside-out cover drive for a six, followed by a four in Dipesh Kandel's over.

Saharan too soon got in on the act as he took on Durgesh Gupta for consecutive boundaries. Both batters achieved their individual half-century milestones, propelling the partnership to over 100 at a brisk pace.

The Nepal bowlers had no answer to the relentless assault from the batting duo, as boundaries flowed effortlessly. Chances came few and far between – Chand did induce an outside edge from Dhas but with no slip in place, the ball travelled to the boundary.

Dhas went on to score a century in the 45th over, becoming the fourth centurion for India in the tournament.

The marathon partnership of 215 runs, the highest by an Indian pair for any wicket in U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup history, finally came to an end in the 47th over when Dhas departed.

Saharan soon became the fifth Indian to record a century but was out the very next ball in an attempt to finish with a flourish.

Gulshan bowled a brilliant final over, giving away only five runs to stop India from crossing 300.

In pursuit of 298, Nepal's opening pair, Deepak Bohara and Arjun Kumal, established a strong foundation with a 48-run partnership. Despite a slow start, the duo managed to break free towards the end of the Powerplay, hitting two fours each in the last two overs of the fielding restrictions.

Raj Limbani finally broke the resistance, delivering a short ball that resulted in Bohara's dismissal, completing a straightforward return catch. The bowlers maintained discipline, effectively controlling the run-rate and prompting mistakes from the Nepal batters.

Uttam Magar became the first casualty under the mounting pressure, attempting a slog against Pandey's bowling only to be caught at mid-wicket by Adarsh.

Pandey claimed two more wickets in his following over, putting an end to Arjun Kumal's resistance and also dismissing Bishal Bikram in quick succession. The wickets further intensified the pressure on Nepal during their chase.

Kulkarni joined the wicket-taking spree, securing dismissals in consecutive overs to remove Deepak Dumre and Gulshan Jha. Murugan Abhishek made an immediate impact in his opening over, getting rid of Dipesh Kandel for a duck.

This sudden burst of wickets saw Nepal's innings take a sharp downturn, sliding from 48 for no loss to a precarious 77 for seven.

Dev Khanal put up a resistance with a captain’s knock while Subash Bhandari played a crucial supporting role by playing solidly at the other end.

As the partnership was developing, Aaradhya Shukla deployed the short-ball tactic from around the wicket. The tactic proved effective, as Bhandari awkwardly fended an edge to the wicketkeeper.

Pandey ended Khanal’s resistance, who played on trying to dab down behind square.

The final-wicket pair managed to add 45 runs, successfully batting out the entire 50 overs, although they fell short by 132 runs.

Player of the Match Sachin Dhas was elated at scoring a hundred after being pushed up the batting order.

“It feels very nice to get the runs. I was told yesterday that I would be batting up the order and I grabbed the opportunity today. The team needed me to play a measured knock. The discussion with Uday [Saharan] in the middle was to play long and finish the innings.”

West Indies v Australia ended in no result in Kimberley

Australia 227 for eight (50) v West Indies 24 for two (4.3)

West Indies struck early with the ball after opting to field first against Australia. Inside the Powerplay, Aussie openers Harry Dixon and Harjas Singh started positively but were soon sent back in back-to-back overs.

Nathan Edward took the first wicket of Dixon who steered a straightforward catch to Joshua Dorne at midwicket. Moments later, Dorne showcased his fielding prowess again, taking a good, low catch at slip as Isai Thorne squared up Harjas.

Sam Konstas and Hugh Weibgen steadied the ship with a 39-run stand, but the captain couldn’t replicate his heroics from the previous game. Tarrique Edward, positioned at point, exhibited excellent reflexes to take a great catch and break the budding partnership.

The spinners quickly made an impact, starting with Nathan Sealy who induced an outside edge from Oliver Peake for a duck. Tarrique Edward then removed Lachlan Aitken, compounding Australia's woes as they found themselves up against it, having lost half of their side with just 87 runs on the board.

As wickets continued to tumble at the other end, Sam Konstas responded with a flurry of aggressive shots and quickly reached his half-century off 73 balls. Raf MacMillan provided valuable support, consistently finding boundaries to release the building pressure mounted by the West Indies’ disciplined bowling.

Just as the duo was gearing up for a late onslaught in the death overs, their partnership abruptly ended thanks to a spectacular diving catch from Stephan Pascal at backward point. Undeterred, Konstas accelerated by smashing Raneico Smith for three consecutive boundaries and reached a well-deserved century in the 48th over.

Although he succumbed to Edward in the final over, Konstas played a crucial role in rescuing Australia, guiding them to a solid total of 227 for eight.

In the second innings, less than five overs of cricket were possible before rain interrupted play. Despite the limited action, Stephan Pascal kick-started the innings with two boundaries off the first two balls, but Charlie Anderson had the last laugh by taking a wicket off the final delivery.

Dorne faced a similar fate as Anderson claimed his second wicket. With the score at 24 for two, play was halted due to lightning and rain, and unfortunately, no further play was possible.

As a result, the two teams shared the points, and Australia, who ended up at the top in Group 2, secured a spot in the semifinals.

Australia captain Hugh Weibgen was all praise for his batters who bailed the team out of a precarious situation.

“We had full faith in the people that were coming in. Obviously, Sam [Konstas] batted unbelievably well. It was just about forging partnerships for a period of time, which they were able to do and get us up to a competitive score.”

South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 119 wickets in Potchefstroom

South Africa 232 for eight (50) v Sri Lanka 113 (23.2)

Put in to bat first by Sri Lanka, the South Africa openers once again succeeded in laying a solid platform, forging a quick-fire partnership of 63 runs. It was Lhuan-dre Pretorius who set the ball rolling with two fours in the first over.

Contrary to previous matches, Pretorius assumed the role of the aggressor against Sri Lanka while Steve Stolk played a supporting role. Stolk finally took charge in the ninth over with back-to-back boundaries but holed out in the deep attempting an inside-out shot over long-off.

Just as South Africa were recovering from the wicket, David Teeger was run out in a chaotic moment that saw both batters at the same end.

South Africa’s innings began to spiral after the wicket as they slipped further when Supun Waduge’s first over resulted in two wickets. Pretorius was unlucky to be run out at the non-striker’s end when Richard Seletswane shot straight down the ground, the ball flicked the bowler’s fingers and onto the stumps with Pretorius short of his ground.

On the next delivery, Seletswane fell victim to the spin and could only muster a shot straight back into the hands of Waduge, resulting in a straightforward return catch. The Proteas found themselves on the ropes as they lost Juan James and Dewan Marais in consecutive overs, further deepening their troubles.

Romashan Pillay and Riley Norton played a crucial role in steering South Africa back into the game through a composed partnership of 49 runs. Despite a slowdown in boundary-scoring, the duo effectively rotated the strike to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Tristan Luus and Nqobani Mokoena injected momentum into the innings and took South Africa, who were staring down the barrel at 133 for six, to a respectable total of 232 for eight.

In reply, the Sri Lanka batters faced the formidable Kwena Maphaka, whose searing pace rained havoc on the top order.

In a fiery opening spell that lasted seven overs, Maphaka recorded his third five-wicket haul of the tournament - becoming the first bowler in U19 Men’s World Cup history to do so. The left-arm pacer made an immediate impact in the very first over, as Pulindu Perera struggled to contend with the express speed, managing only an outside edge to Pretorius.

Maphaka continued to keep the wicketkeeper busy, claiming Supun Waduge for the second duck of the innings.

Maphaka secured his third wicket in as many overs by squaring up captain Sineth Jayawardena, with the wicketkeeper once more called upon to take a good catch diving to his left.

Hirun Kapurubandara and Dinura Kalupahana offered a brief reprieve with a rapid 36-run partnership off 31 balls, however, the respite was short-lived as Kapurubandara attempted to take on Maphaka, only to be caught in the deep, bringing an end to the partnership.

Maphaka capped off his exceptional five-star performance with yet another well-executed short ball. Stolk completed a brilliant diving catch at mid-wicket, successfully removing the other set batter in Kalupahana.

Riley Norton also left his mark on the match, trapping Vihas Thewmika in front of the stumps to make inroads into the Sri Lanka tail. Norton was on a hat-trick after claiming consecutive wickets, sending both Sharujan Shanmuganathan and Vishwa Lahiru back to the pavilion.

Malsha Tharupathi delayed the inevitable with some powerful hits, but Norton eventually secured his fourth wicket. Kwena Maphaka then returned to the attack, putting the finishing touches on the innings with a six-wicket haul and bowling Sri Lanka out for 113.

Maphaka was ecstatic having put in yet another Player of the Match winning performance and has set his sights on the trophy.

“I am feeling very confident but I always know there’s something to work for. I know there’s something to keep going for. We want to win the World Cup.”

Star fast bowler Kwena Maphaka dismissed the first five Sri Lankan batters and then cleaned up the final wicket as he helped the South Africa U19s beat Sri Lanka by 119 runs in their Super Sixes match in the ICC U19 World Cup at JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Friday.

Maphaka’s remarkable analysis of 8.2-1-21-6 helped South Africa to almost certainly qualify, along with Australia, for the semifinals of the 50-over competition from Group 2 of the Super Sixes.

The 17-year-old left-arm paceman now has 18 wickets in this year’s competition, six ahead of anyone else and already equal with Wayne Parnell as South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in Youth Internationals. He is also the first bowler in the world to take four five-wicket hauls in Youth ODIs.

Speaking afterwards, the youngster said he was delighted with his efforts. “I feel very good and I’m proud of what I have done,” he said. He added that he was kept grounded by his “good support system” at home as well as his teammates and that he was hopeful of helping his team to go further in the tournament.

A flawless six-wicket haul helps Kwena Maphaka to his third @aramco #POTM of the #U19WorldCup 2024 🎉#SAvSL pic.twitter.com/APOXBNw4pG

— ICC (@ICC) February 2, 2024

South Africa, put in to bat by their opponents, had earlier compiled 232 for eight in their innings, a useful but by no means unbeatable total. But Maphaka’s pace and hostility made a nonsense of any real competitive element in the game as he proved too much for the Sri Lankan top-order.

He virtually won the game single-handed in his first spell, claiming wickets in his first, second and third overs before grabbing a couple more in his sixth. He finally withdrew from the fray with the remarkable figures of 5-20 in seven overs before returning at the end of the innings to wrap up the victory.

Maphaka struck with his third ball, having opener Pulindu Perera caught behind by wicketkeeper Lhuan-dre Pretorius – the first of five catches by the gloveman – as he reduced Sri Lanka to 13 for three and 51 for five before he withdrew for a breather.

He was given excellent support by fellow paceman Riley Norton who took the remaining wickets, finishing with 4-28 in five overs. The allrounder had a good match in general, having scored an unbeaten 41 in South Africa’s innings.

Looking ahead to stiffer tasks, South Africa will be concerned about their fielding – four comfortable chances were shelled although David Teeger took the catch of the game in the outfield. Their batting was also a little below par, particularly against the Sri Lankan spinners who helped restrict them to their ordinary total.

All seemed to be going well for the junior Proteas when the powerful opening combination of Pretorius and Steve Stolk made hay against a wayward opening burst from pacemen Garuka Sanketh and Duvindu Ranatunga. Pretorius, in particular, dealt in boundaries as South Africa raced to 63 in the ninth over before Stolk (22 off 17 balls) holed out tamely to long-off off the bowling of left-arm spinner Vishva Lahiru after sweeping him for consecutive boundaries.

The more staid Teeger then helped the dominant Pretorius to add a further 40 in 56 balls – as South Africa negotiated the first power-play satisfactorily, scoring 71 for one in 10 overs – before Teeger (10 in 25 balls) was unnecessarily run out. Keen to turn a one into a two, Teeger was sent back by Pretorius at the point of no return.

The Sri Lankan spinners then took control while the South African batters went into their shells and offered up some soft dismissals as the ball got softer and scoring became more difficult. The key victim was Pretorius, who was a little careless to be run out at the bowler’s end when offspinner Supun Waduge touched a return hit onto the stumps. He had batted with authority for his 71 in 77 balls, including 10 fours, driven, clipped and pulled all around the wicket.

Having reached 103 for one, South Africa lost five wickets for 30 in eight overs with Waduge – yet to take a wicket in the tournament before today – claiming an easy caught and bowled to see off Richard Seletswane before bowling Dewan Marais who played inside the line. Finally skipper Juan James looped a simple catch to the wicketkeeper after attempting a lap sweep off left-arm spinner Vishva Lahiru.

Romashan Pillay and Norton then tried to rebuild the innings with a watchful seventh-wicket partnership of 49 in 98 balls. Pillay, who had suffered two consecutive first-ballers in the tournament, was understandably lacking in confidence and it was a pity, from his point of view, that he was bowled by legspinner Malsha Tharupathi for 27 just when he was looking to get a shift-on.

Norton, with a valuable 41* off 69 balls, saw it through to the end, however, helped by brisk cameos from Tristan Luus (10 in nine balls) and Nqobani Mokoena (18* off 16 balls).

The Sri Lankan spinners were all excellent with offspinner Waduge the most effective, taking 2-28 in his 10 overs, while legspinner Tharupathi (2-46) and left-arm spinner Lahiru (2-44) playing good supporting roles.

 

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SOUTH AFRICA: Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Steve Stolk, David Teeger, Richard Seletswane, Dewan Marais, Juan James (c), Romashan Pillay, Riley Norton, Tristan Luus, Nqobani Mokoena, Kwena Maphaka.

SRI LANKA: Pulindu Perera, Hirun Kapurubandara, Sineth Jayawardena (c), Supun Waduge, Dinura Kalupahana, Sharujan Shanmuganathan (wk), Malsha Tharupathi, Vihas Thewmika, Vishwa Lahiru, Garuka Sanketh, Duvindu Ranatunga.

TOSS: INDIA WON THE TOSS AND ELECTED TO BAT

 

India have one foot in the semifinals and would like to sign off the Super Six stage with a statement win. The Rhinos are out of contention but would like to show their prowess by matching up against a strong India line-up.

 

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TOSS: WEST INDIES WON THE TOSS AND ELECTED TO FIELD

The Boys in Maroon backed their skipper's call with exceptional work early in the innings. Australia had lost five wickets by 87, including key batters such as Harry Dixon and captain Hugh Weibgen.

A classy knock from Sam Konstas to help Australia get back on their feet.

He added 89 along with Raf MacMillan, before the latter was brilliantly caught by Stephan Pascal at point. Konstas' kept going from his end and managed a hundred.

His efforts helped Australia to 227.

A win today would ensure that Australia top Group 2 of the Super Six stage, thus taking on the No 2 contender from Group 1.

West Indies would need to be at their very best, taking inspiration from their success against England and Sri Lanka, to upend a charged-up Australia.

Scotland were the victors at Willowmoore Park, Benoni, in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 on Thursday, pipping Nambia by three runs in their 16th-place playoff match.

Toss: Scotland won the toss and elected to bat

Namibia struck early with the ball, with Jack Brassell and Junior Kariata striking to remove Adi Hegde and Alec Price cheaply.

This forced Jamie Dunk and Owen Gould, Scotland's most successful batters in the tournament, to come together and reconstruct the innings.

Despite losing Gould (35) after the duo had added 80, Dunk kept on from his end. He helped put another half-century stand with Uzair Ahmad, even as Scotland looked set for a competitive score.

However, Dunk fell off the last ball of the 34th over to give Namibia an opening. He hit eight boundaries in his 76.

The Eagles regained control with the ball thereafter, conceding merely 50 runs between overs 35-46.

It took some special hitting from Bahadar Esakhiel, to help Scotland score 51 off the final four overs. He was unbeaten on 76, with four fours and six sixes to his name.

Ibrahim Faisal rocked Namibia early in their chase, sending back both the openers for a single-figure score.

Johannes Visagie and Zacheo van Vuuren began rebuilding watchfully. The duo brought up Namibia's first-ever fifty-run stand of the tournament.

Visagie's half-century, brought up in the 27th over was also a first for the Eagles in this edition of the U19 World Cup.

Visagie fell lbw to Adi Hegde. even as the required rate kept creeping north.

Skipper Alex Volschenk, arrived at number four, to keep the Eagles' chase on track. Along with Van Vuuren, he added 60 runs for the fourth wicket off 66 balls.

Volschenk's cameo came to an end when the batter tried to swipe Qasim Khan over midwicket region but was brilliantly held by Faisal. He hit two sixes and a four in his 30.

Namibia's chase was brought back to life with an enterprising sixth-wicket stand between van Vuuren and Peter-Daniel Blignaut.

The duo took the attack to the Scotland bowlers, and brought the equation down to 16 off six.

However, Scotland managed to wrest back the initiative at the right moment. Faisal's final over gave away 12, which meant a three-wicket win for the Scots.

Faisal finished with 3-58, whereas Van Vuuren was Namibia's top-scorer with 86.

Scotland overcame Namibia in a nerve-wracking contest that went to the final ball
😯#U19WorldCup #SCOvNAM pic.twitter.com/LxzMG2HW2T

— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) February 1, 2024

Kwena Maphaka was sensational, bagging a five-wicket haul, as he inspired South Africa Under-19 to a comprehensive nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe Under-19 in their Group 2 Super Six match at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Wednesday.

Maphaka’s masterclass with the ball helped South Africa restrict the visitors to 102, a total which they chased down in 13.3 overs, scoring 103 runs for the loss of one wicket.

The win put South Africa’s net run rate in the positive as they fight for one of the top two slots to qualify for the semifinals.

They are now second-placed, ahead of West Indies who are also on four points but have an inferior net run rate.

A second five-wicket haul for Kwena Maphaka in the #U19WorldCup 2024 🔥#ZIMvSA pic.twitter.com/u17y9a86II

— ICC (@ICC) January 31, 2024

The 17-year-old Lions' sensation sent down 10 overs and claimed 5-34 to help South Africa blow away the visitors for just over 100 runs in 29.2 overs.

He now has taken the joint-most five-wicket hauls in Youth ODI history with three. Maphaka is also now third on South Africa’s all-time wicket-takers list in Under-19 cricket.

Maphaka took the new ball after his captain, Juan James, won the toss and elected to field first.

The 17-year-old, who is taking part in his second Under-19 World Cup, ran through the Zimbabwean top order, dismissing three of their top four batters for eight runs in his first three overs of the day.

🔄 CHANGE OF INNINGS

Tristan Luus wraps it up for the SA U19s as they restrict Zimbabwe to 1️⃣0️⃣2️⃣. Kwena Maphaka led the bowling with a brilliant 5er 👋

🇿🇦 SA U19 need 1️⃣0️⃣3️⃣ runs for the win #WozaNawe #BePartOfIt #SAU19vZIMU19 pic.twitter.com/LdUB0wpkDD

— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) January 31, 2024

The visitors attempted to regroup and rebuild with a 53-run fifth-wicket partnership between Ronak Patel (32) and Ryan Kamwemba (24).

That partnership survived until the 16th over and was broken by Tristan Luus. Luus and Riley Norton performed in exemplary fashion as change bowlers, managing the 11 to 20 overs period masterfully. They conceded 19 runs for three wickets.

Maphaka returned in the 21st over to clean up the tail, taking two wickets for seven runs.

Maphaka was judged to be the player of the match for his outstanding performance with the ball.

Luus was South Africa’s second-best bowler with three wickets in 7.2 overs at an economy rate of 3.4 runs an over.

Kwena Maphaka wins his second @aramco POTM of #U19WorldCup 2024 on the back of a sensational spell 🎇#ZIMvSA pic.twitter.com/O9k1EcgFor

— ICC (@ICC) January 31, 2024

With Zimbabwe bundled out cheaply, Maphaka and his fellow pacers had set the stage for a quick and easy chase for the home side.

As has become customary, South Africa’s opening pair came out guns blazing.

Lhuan-dre Pretorius raced to an unbeaten brilliant 53 off 39 that featured nine fours and a single six.

Pretorius shared an 86-run opening stand with Steve Stolk (37) and completed the chase in the company of David Teeger (10*).

Anesu Kamuriwo was Zimbabwe’s only wicket-taker. He took one wicket for 31 runs in six overs, one of which was a maiden.

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SOUTH AFRICA U19: Lhuan-dre Pretorius (wk), Steve Stolk, David Teeger, Richard Seletswane, Dewan Marais, Juan James (c), Romashan Pillay, Riley Norton, Tristan Luus, Raeeq Daniels, Kwena Maphaka.

ZIMBABWE U19: Nathaniel Hlabangana, Panashe Taruvinga, Brandon Sunguro, Ronak Patel, Campbell Macmillan, Ryan Kamwemba (wk), Matthew Schonken (c), Newman Nyamhuri, Mashford Shungu, Anesu Kamuriwo, Ryan Simbi

Bangladesh and Australia were the comfortable victors in their respective games on Wednesday; whereas Afghanistan overcame USA in their playoff encounter in the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2024.

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BANGLADESH BEAT NEPAL IN BLOEMFONTEIN

 

Toss: Nepal won the toss and elected to bat

Bangladesh dominated the proceedings after being asked to bowl. Nepal showed potential but couldn't match up to the Tigers.

The Rhinos found the going tough against an adept Bangladesh bowling attack. The pacers struck thrice in the first Powerplay before the spinners tangled the Nepal batters around their web in the middle overs to strike regularly and keep the scoring rate in check.

Mohammad Borson and Sheikh Jibon accounted for seven wickets between them to ensure that Bangladesh needed 170 to win.

Jishan Alam's attacking fifty led Bangladesh's effort of gaining a substantial net run rate advantage by finishing the chase early. However, Subash Bhandari's triple strike slowed the Tigers at the start of the second Powerplay.

Ariful Islam's attacking fifty led Bangladesh past the target. Subash managed two more wickets to his name to finish with a five-wicket haul. Borson was the Player of the Match for his 4-19.

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AUSTRALIA CRUSH ENGLAND IN KIMBERLEY

Toss: England won the toss and elected to field

A 105-run stand between Harry Dixon and Hugh Weibgen powered the start of Australia's innings.

The following overs were a tussle between Australia’s middle order and England’s spinners led by Theo Wylie.

Weibgen's ton was backed by cameos from Ollie Peake (25* from 28) and Raf MacMillan (19* from 10), as Australia finished strong.

In response, England chose the attacking route early on. This backfired as the accurate Callum Vidler bowled challenging lengths and garnered four English wickets within his first five overs.

Lightning stopped play soon after. It gave way to rain, and there was an extended delay.

England needed 215 for a win after the resumption. Faced with a daunting target, England's chase unraveled as the side lost quick wickets.

They were bowled out for 104.

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AFGHANISTAN TRIUMPH OVER USA IN BENONI

 

Toss: Afghanistan won the toss and elected to field

Afghanistan backed their skipper's call to take the field with a sharp display with the ball. But USA were up to the task, and struck back in the second innings. 

A top-drawer effort from Afghanistan meant that the USA batting never took off. Barring Prannav Chettipalayam (33) and Utkarsh Srivastava (30), no other batter made a significant contribution for the North American side.

Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar (3-30), Naseer Khan Maroofkhil (2/19) and Faridoon Dawoodzai (2/30) helped bowl out USA by the 49th over.

Continuing a running theme of the tournament, Afghanistan got off to a poor start with the bat.

The side lost four wickets before even reaching the 50 runs mark. Skipper Naseer Khan Maroofkhil (39) stabilised the innings for Afghanistan but his dismissal at a crucial stage left the game even stevens.

A resolute 37 from Rahimullah Zurmati helped Afghanistan close out a chase that went to the final over.

 

As the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 moves into the Super Six stage this week Proteas fast bowler Anrich Nortje reflects on the thrilling tournament so far, highlighting the transition to the Super Six stage, as well as encouraging players to stick to their strengths, offering best wishes for the Super Six stages, and expressing excitement for the tournament's upcoming moments.

"I’m excited to see what the next stage has in store following a host of nail-biting finishes and remarkable individual performances.

But before that, I must say this: I'm struck by the incredible atmosphere and the promising talent on display here in South Africa. The passion of the fans, the diverse pitches, the standard of cricket … this tournament has already been a very memorable experience.

"It has been good to see people streaming in, everyone cheering on their teams, including the hosts South Africa. It's just been a great atmosphere and the vibe surrounding this whole tournament has been really positive in general. I'm sure the guys are enjoying it on the field too.

"The one thing that has stood out for me, so far in the tournament at least, is how everyone has looked so calm and composed on the field. Speaking to the captains pre-tournament, they were all very approachable and positive, and it didn't feel like you were about to enter a tense World Cup environment. It just looked like they were so focused and knew what to do. They were relaxed.

"Now, on to the Super Six: this is where the pressure intensifies. It's always tough. Once you get beyond the first stage in any tournament and you get closer to the end, it does get really hard, bodies are a little more tired and small mistakes begin to creep in, those can cause a bit of frustration in a team.

"This is where the best separate themselves from the rest. The teams that maintain their composure, assess their conditions and surroundings and what is required of them the best will most likely come out on top. It is hard, as there will be a lot of pressure. I won't say there will be fear of failure, but that does enter your thinking. You don't want to fail or disappoint. You want to do really well.

"While a World Cup stage is always difficult for emerging nations, it’s great to see countries like Nepal represented in the Super Six stage. Competing alongside countries with a strong pedigree in World Cup competitions can be daunting, yet they have overcome a tough group to end up among the final 12 teams.

"I have to be a little bit biased towards the South African side now. There's been a lot of pressure on them. Whether they feel it or not, there is pressure playing at home. It is a big tournament and you want to do well for everyone you represent. You've got a lot of extra support that you've never had in your life. So there's a certain expectation to do well, but it's something you have to put behind you and just focus ball-by-ball, game-by-game.

"I’d like to point out Kwena Maphaka as an impressive youngster. The way he has been spreading his yorkers and bumpers, and swinging the ball as well, has been really impressive and he has looked like he has a clear plan of attack with the ball.

"It has been nice to see how he seems to take things in his stride. That opening game in particular when South Africa had their backs to the wall against a battling West Indies - he responded and ensured they started the competition with a big result.

"Generally speaking, the standard I’ve observed across the tournament has been impressive. Results only tell part of the story, you have to consider conditions and how teams adapt to new situations. Now, it’s the Super Six, and this is where the tournament will be won or lost.

"To all the players in the Super Six stage, I would say try and stick to what brought you to where you are today. Don't try to change anything. You guys have been playing amazing cricket and it’s great to see the high standards of play among these young talents.

"We spoke about the brand, the excitement, everything that you guys are going to bring in. I think you guys have blown it away. You've done more than I think a lot of people have expected, myself included.

"It's a really exciting part of the tournament, it's something that everyone looks forward to. And not everyone is able to make it to these stages. So all the best, play well, and take in every moment.

"I'm quite excited for what is to come, and I'm sure everyone else is too."

With the preliminary group games out of the way, 12 teams remain in contention for the U19 Cricket World Cup trophy. The Super Six stage started with three exciting contests on Tuesday.

India beat New Zealand by a comfortable margin of 214 runs in Bloemfontein to boost their semifinal chances.

Despite suffering stutters in their chase, Pakistan secured a three-wicket win over Ireland to remain unbeaten in the tournament.

In Kimberley, West Indies overcame Sri Lanka's fight to secure a close win.

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INDIA CRUSH NEW ZEALAND

Toss: New Zealand won the toss and elected to field

The loss of the previous game's centurion Arshin Kulkarni for nine, had little impact on India's approach in the first Powerplay. Adarsh Singh and Musheer Khan went for their shots on a wicket where the ball came easily on the bat and the outfield was fast.

India's scoring rate remained closer to six at the start of the second Powerplay. Both the batters kept their foot on the pedal, even as India crossed the 100-run mark in the 17th over. Adarsh fell after his fifty, failing to pierce Zac Cumming past the covers.

Musheer was joined by skipper Uday Saharan, and the duo held the innings together. Musheer reached his third successive fifty-plus score of the tournament in the 25th over.

Their patient accumulation was disrupted when Saharan (34) tried to dispatch Oliver Tewatiya with a sweep, but ended up top-edging straight to Zac Cumming. New Zealand were able to contain India's scoring rate at close to five during the middle overs, with the Boys in Blue scoring 145 runs in the overs 11-40.

Musheer's belligerence mounted India's charge towards 300. The batter reached his second successive hundred of the tournament in the 43rd over, and then upped his scoring rate. After reaching his century, Musheer added 31 runs off merely 17 balls. This included three fours and two sixes.

Late strikes from Mason Clarke (4-62) meant that India fell just short of that mark.

Raj Limbani was right on the mark with the very first ball, swerving one right back in to rattle Tom Jones' stumps. He didn't have to wait long for his second, as another corker trapped Snehith Reddy leg before for a duck.

Saumy Pandey opened the innings with the new ball, and troubled the young Kiwis too. He beat Lachlan Stackpole in the sixth over, and bowled the southpaw for a five. Then in his very next over, he trapped James Nelson in front of the wicket to leave New Zealand four down.

The young Kiwis slipped further in overs 11-20. Naman Tiwari cleaned up Tewatiya in the 12th over after the batter tried to fend off a good-length delivery and completely missed the line.

Oscar Jackson and Zac Cumming tried to halt the slide, but the former fell to an exceptional yorker from Musheer. Jackson tried to fend the ball towards the leg-side, but was bowled in the process.

When Cumming fell while trying to attempt an ambitious reverse sweep against Saumy Pandey, the writing was on the wall for the Kiwis.

They were bowled out in the 29th over. Pandey led the India bowling effort with his 4-19.

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WEST INDIES OVERCOME SRI LANKA

Toss: Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat

Vishen Halambage fell early to an attacking shot in the very first over, but Pulindu Perera and Sineth Jayawardena went ahead close to run a ball. However, the Sri Lanka captain Sineth fell early yet again when he tried to lob Nathan Edward over the mid-wicket region for a six but was grasped by Raneico Smith.

The in-form Dinura Kalupahana joined Supun Waduge at the wicket. Erratic work by West Indies bowlers helped Sri Lanka add quick runs. Waduge took the lead in run-scoring and helped Sri Lanka close in on 100.

But the batter fell to an unfortunate dismissal in the 19th over, when Kalupahana hit one straight back to Nathan Sealy, and the bowler managed to get a hand on the ball before it crashed into the stumps. Waduge was out of the crease and hence ruled run out. Sharujan Shanmuganathan and Kalupahana came together to hold the fort till the mid-innings mark.

Raneico struck with the ball in the final over of the Powerplay to remove the set Pulindu, and West Indies were in charge. Sri Lanka lost two more soon after. Tarrique Edward had Shanmuganathan caught at the first slip in the 26th over, and Ravishan de Silva hit a full toss straight back to Raneico in the 31st over.

Kalupahana yet again became the anchor of Sri Lanka's effort. Along with Malsha Tharupathi, he put together an important late wicket stand. He brought up his third fifty of the tournament during the stand.

Kalupahana, however, could not keep going till the end, and fell while trying to cut Sealy. Tharupathi, however, continued fighting for the Lankans. Dispatching the loose deliveries on offer, he scored at a brisk pace and helped Sri Lanka close in on 200. His 42 from 38 helped Sri Lanka finish at 231.

West Indies skipper Stephan Pascal put the foot on the pedal in the modest chase. Hitting five fours and a six in his 26-ball 33, he helped his side go at six an over during his stay.

An ambitious attempt to waft the ball through the covers brought his demise against Kalupahana. Vishwa Lahiru struck with his left-arm spin in the 12th over to get the second West Indies wicket.

Steve Wedderburn and Jordan Johnson took control of the innings thereafter, and put West Indies in a strong position. Till the mid-innings mark, the duo had added 80 at run a ball. Wedderburn had added 40, while Johnson contributed with 38 runs.

Sri Lanka struck back by getting both Wedderburn and Johnson in a space of nine balls. Nathan Edward and Mavendra Dindyal then adopted the conservative approach, helping keep the wickets column intact.

However, Dindyal's fall to Jayawardena changed the complexion of the chase. Disciplined bowling squeezed out run scoring opportunities.

Sri Lanka kept fighting to the very last, picking crucial breakthroughs of Edward and Jewel Andrew in the last Powerplay. However, it was Sealy who helped West Indies seal a win with a fighting cameo.

He was ably supported by Tarrique Edward in his 26-run stand for the eighth wicket.

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PAKISTAN BEAT IRELAND

Toss: Pakistan won the toss and elected to field

Disciplined work from Pakistan bowlers meant that Ireland crept at a run rate of one for the first five overs. This pressure yielded a wicket, as Ubaid Shah had Jordan Neill caught off his bowling. The batter tried to pull but the ball reached him earlier than he had anticipated, and a top edge went straight to Ubaid.

Ireland's innings lost its balance in the first half of the second Powerplay. They lost five wickets for merely 50 runs.

All of the batters fell while trying to seize the initiative away from Pakistan. Ali Raza, Ahmad Hassan and Amir Hassan picked a wicket apiece, while Ubaid had a second breakthrough in the 24th over.

Ireland had their first proper partnership of the game when John McNally and Harry Dyer came together for the seventh wicket.

By the time Dyer perished to Haroon Arshad in the 37th over, the duo had put together 65 runs, which was two more than the effort of first six wickets combined. Ireland were still far away from a fighting total and needed a late push.

Despite McNally's fighting 53, Ireland couldn't up the ante in the last Powerplay. They were bowled out by the 49th over. Ubaid was once again Pakistan's star with 3/31.

Pakistan openers were off to a characteristic positive start going at about five an over before Reuben Wilson struck. The pacer had the big scalp of Shahzaib Khan, Pakistan's leading run-scorer in the tournament when the batter tried to cut the ball but edged one to slip.

Ollie Riley got the other opener in the next over. Shamyl Hossain mistimed a pull and ended up lofting the ball in the air, straight back to the keeper.

Azan Awais and Saad Baig began a reconstruction job. The duo moved the chase ahead without taking too many risks. They hit merely five fours between them during their stay at the crease.

Awais's vigilance was broken when he missed one from Dryer, and was trapped leg before.

Dryer struck again in the form of Saad Baig's wicket to leave Pakistan four down for 78. Ubaid Shah was promoted up the order and sent in to partner Ahmad Hassan. The experiment didn't work as Ubaid fell for eight. Ahmad Hassan and Haroon Arshad fought back with a solid sixth wicket stand.

They added 63 runs from 75 balls to bring Pakistan on the brink of a win. Despite losing Arshad at 159, Pakistan managed to cross the line by the 44th over.

The 2024 U19 Cricket World Cup in South Africa commenced on 19 January with 16 teams competing for 12 spots in the Super Sixes stage. The group stage consisted of four groups of four teams each.

Each group played all their matches at their own venue across the country as follows:

Group A – India, Bangladesh, Ireland, USA

Venue: Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein.

Group B – SA, England, West Indies, Scotland

Venue: JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom.

Group C – Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Namibia

Venue: Diamond Oval in Kimberly.

Group D – Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Nepal

Venue: Buffalo Park in East London.

OPENING SALVOES

The hosts kickstarted the tournament as the South Africa U19 side took on West Indies at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom, while Ireland took on the United States of America (USA) at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein.

The SA U19s lost the toss and were asked to bat first and managed to get off to a solid start, despite losing Steve Stolk early for five. Lhuan-dre Pretorius set the platform with a 34-ball 40 as the SA U19s made their way to 58-2 at the end of the powerplay. The West Indies then hit back to reduce the junior Proteas to 147-6 and in danger of being dismissed for under 200. However, Dewan Marais (65 off 38) had other plans in conjunction with captain Juan James (47 off 54) as they stitched together a remarkable partnership of 131 off only 98 balls to lift the total to 285-9 at the end of their 50 overs.

Kwena Maphaka stormed in with his left-arm pace and ripped out 5-38, which included four wickets with inswinging yorkers and one with a brutal bouncer, while Riley Norton took 3-66 as they managed to beat the Windies by 31 runs. Jewel Andrew’s brilliant 130 off 96 balls went in vain.

Ireland comfortably beat the USA by seven wickets with 58 balls to spare thanks to three wickets each for Reuben Wilson and Oliver Riley, with wicketkeeper Ryan Hunter rounding off the chase with an unbeaten 50 off 63 balls.

Defending champions India got their campaign off to rollicking start by beating Bangladesh by 84 runs, who were the U19 champions the last time the U19 World Cup was hosted in South Africa in 2020. India set Bangladesh a target of 252 thanks to 76 off 96 balls by Adarsh Singh and 64 off 94 balls by Uday Saharan. In reply, Mohammad Shihab James made 54 (77) for Bangladesh but they couldn’t string together big enough partnerships.

England didn’t have much trouble in putting Scotland away by 7 wickets after restricting them to 174 all out. Farhan Ahmed, younger brother of Rehan Ahmed who is playing for England in the ongoing test series against India, took 3-22 while Luc Benkenstein, son of former Proteas batter Dale Benkenstein, took 3-41. The chase was completed at a canter as Ben McKinney plundered 88 off 68 balls, ably supported by his opening partner Jaydn Denly who made 40 off 50 balls.

Pakistan thumped Afghanistan by 181 runs after setting them a target of 285. Shahzaib Khan set the tone from the start and finished with 106 off 126 balls before Ubaid Shah, younger brother of Naseem Shah who plays for the senior side, ripped through the Afghanistan batting line-up with 4-26.

Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by 39 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method after rain intervened. An initial target of 205 for Zimbabwe to chase became 129 in 22 overs upon resumption of proceedings, but 89 was all that their batters were able to muster. For Sri Lanka Dinura Kalupahana scored 60 (55), while Malsha Tharupathi killed the chase with his 4-17.

An attacking 147 off 125 balls by Snehith Reddy helped New Zealand put up a total of 302-8 against Nepal, with Oscar Jackson adding a valuable 75 off 81 balls. In reply Nepal put up a strong fight with Arjun Kumal getting 90 (104) and the lower order chipping in nicely to get them to a respectable total of 238-9, but they ultimately fell short by 64 runs.

Bangladesh won a closely contested battle with Ireland by six wickets after they had set Bangladesh 236 to chase in their 50 overs. This was in great part thanks to a 113-ball 90 by Kian Hilton, who is formerly from King Edward VII in Johannesburg. It was a team effort with the bat for Bangladesh in the chase as four of their batters scored over 30 with Mohammad Shihab James top scoring with 55 (54), his second fifty in the tournament.

After bowling Namibia out for just 91, Australia had a bit of a scare in the chase where they were 57-5 at one point. However, captain Hugh Weibgen made a composed 39* (43) to ensure a victory by four wickets. For Namibia it was Jack Brassell’s 3-28 that kept them in the game, but he ultimately couldn’t outshine the Australia speedster Callum Vidler who picked up 4-17 in his 8.1 overs.

SA VS ENGLAND

On 23 January 2024, the SA U19s faced up against England, with both sides entering the match with confidence after winning their opening matches. The dangerous opening duo of Steve Stolk and Lhuan-dre Pretorius started off brightly, bringing up a 71-run partnership in only 10.5 overs before Pretorius lost his wicket for 25 (29). He was soon followed by David Teeger (0 off 4). Stolk and Seletswane did a bit of a repair job, but after Stolk ran himself out on 64 off 55 balls (11 x 4s, 1 x 6), a collapse followed leaving the SA U19s on 114-5. However, once again Dewan Marais came to their rescue with a 39-ball 42. None of the batters to follow however were able to pass 20 runs and the innings stumbled to 230 all out in the final over of the innings.

In reply England looked in control throughout, despite Tristan Luus taking the early wicket of Jadn Denly (1). Ben McKinny looked at ease at the crease for the second match in a row as he strolled to 48 off 67 balls, but it was Noah Thain who stole the show with his 63 off 82 balls. By the time the rain started to fall in over number 29, England were 36 runs ahead of the DLS par score which ended up being the final over of the match to give them a comfortable victory. The SA U19s didn’t look like taking wickets, which meant that they were never really in the game.

The Afghanistan versus New Zealand match was a low-scoring thriller. New Zealand dismissed Afghanistan for only 91, with Matt Rowe taking 5-21 in his eight overs. Thoughts of an easy chase were quickly put to bed as Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar dismantled the top order of New Zealand for figures of 3-29. Khalil Ahmed and Arab Gul Momand both took two wickets each to leave New Zealand on 90-8 with two runs required. Then it happened. Naseer Khan Maroofkhil ran out Ewald Schreuder at the non-striker’s end, or as previously known, via a Mankad. However, with tensions high, Matt Rowe kept his cool and hit the winning runs to ensure that New Zealand scraped through by one wicket.

Namibia held some hope of beating Sri Lanka after bowling them all out for 133 thanks to Zacheo van Vuuren who took 4-23 in his eight overs. This hope however was short-lived as Sri Lanka ripped through the heart of the Eagles’ batting line-up. Vishwa Lahiru took 3-19 and Ruvishan Perera 3-3 as Namibia were bundled out for only 56.

A few one-sided matches followed between 24 and 26 January 2024:

- West Indies beat Scotland by five wickets with 89 balls remaining.
- Pakistan beat Nepal by five wickets with 14 balls remaining. .
- India beat Ireland by 201 runs. .
- Australia beat Zimbabwe by 225 runs. .
- Bangladesh beat the USA by 121 runs.

On 26 January 2024 the West Indies beat England by two wickets in a closely-contested match that meant that both ended their group stage with two wins each, which left the door open slightly ajar for the SA U19s to potentially force their way to the top of the group if they managed to beat Scotland convincingly.

Afghanistan played against Nepal in a must-win match as the loser would not qualify for the Super Sixes. Nepal managed to dismiss Afghanistan for 145 as Aakash Chand took 5-34 in his eight overs. In reply Nepal had early troubles with the bat as they were reduced to 24-3. However, captain Dev Khanal took the lead with the bat and made a mature 58 off 89 balls to lead Nepal towards their target. Things got very tight in the end as Afghanistan continued to take wickets and left Nepal on 144-9, still two runs away from victory. Subash Bhandari held his nerve to seal the chase with a boundary and the whole Nepal team broke out into hysterical celebrations.

Zimbabwe managed to comfortably chase down a target of 147 set by Namibia with eight wickets and 87 balls to spare. Pakistan breezed past New Zealand as they chased down a target of 141 without losing a single wicket and with almost half their overs remaining.

SA VS SCOTLAND

The big match on 27 January 2024 was the one between the SA U19s and Scotland. Scotland managed to put up a substantial total of 269-9 thanks to classy knocks by Jamie Dunk (90 off 121) and Owen Gould (97 off 89). It was a poor showing with the ball by the SA U19s who bowled 23 wides and one no-ball. The lack of control made run scoring easy for Scotland. Riley Norton was the top wicket-taker with his 3-48 in his nine overs.

In between innings it was determined that Scotland had to restrict the SA U19s to 180 runs or less to surpass their Net Run Rate and qualify for the Super Sixes ahead of the junior Proteas. On the other hand, the SA U19s needed to reach their target of 270 within 30.1 overs to surpass the Net Run Rate of England to top the group and have the advantage of playing their matches in the Super Sixes at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom where they had already been playing all their matches and were acclimatised to conditions. Topping the group would also mean not having to play against the team who would go on to top group C (later confirmed as Australia) during the Super Sixes.

It was clear that the SA U19s needed a fast and solid start to have any chance of maintaining the run rate of nine runs per over required for the entire chase to top the group. This meant that their destructive opening pair of Steve Stolk and Lhuan-dre Pretorius needed to fire once again. Not only did they fire, they set the whole stadium ablaze. More specifically, Steve Stolk.

Stolk with a license to go big from ball one is a dangerous customer. He took 12 off the first over and by the time the third over started he was on 16 off seven balls. Then absolute chaos ensued. Stolk smoked Qasim Khan for 34 runs in the third over of the innings, which included five sixes and one four. In the process Stolk also brought up his 50 off only 13 deliveries. He broke the previous record for the fastest 50 in U19 World Cups, held by Rishabh Pant, by an astounding five balls. Just to emphasise this again, Stolk brought up his 50 in the third over of the innings. The 34 runs he took of Khan’s over was also a new U19 World Cup record.

A third record was soon to follow as, after an opening partnership of 114 in 8.5 overs, the SA U19s were on 126-1 after the powerplay; more runs than any other team had ever scored after the first 10 overs in an innings of an Under-19 World Cup match.

Stolk was finally dismissed for 86 off only 37 balls, having smashed seven fours and eight sixes. Despite his blazing start, there was still plenty of work that needed to be done to successfully chase that top position in the group. The wise decision was made to send in the in-form Dewan Marais at No 4 to try and keep up with the pace set by Stolk. Marais did exactly that and made an unbeaten 80 off 50 balls while David Teeger made an unbeaten 43 off 38 balls to get to the target in only 27 overs, three overs ahead of schedule.

The final two matches in the group stage went as expected with India beating the USA by 201 runs and Australia beating Sri Lanka by 6 wickets to top their respective groups.

END OF GROUP STAGES

At the end of the group stage, the top run scorer thus far is Shahzaib Khan of Pakistan with 223 runs at an average of 111.50 and a strike rate of 79.07, with one century and one fifty. The top scorer for the SA U19s is Dewan Marais with 187 runs at an average of 93.50 and a strike rate of 147.24, with two fifties.

The top wicket taker is Ubaid Shah with nine wickets at an average of 11.55, and economy rate of 4.33 and a best of 4-26. The top wicket taker for the SA U19s thus far is Kwena Maphaka with seven wickets at an average of 16.71, an economy rate of 4.64 and a best of 5-38.

There are now two new groups of six where only the top two sides of each group will progress to the semifinals. The points and Net Run Rate achieved by the teams are carried over to the Super Sixes. Australia, India and Pakistan therefore have an advantage going into the Super Sixes as they are still unbeaten, while the SA U19s, despite topping their group, are only carrying over four points having lost to England. The SA U19s have however managed to avoid a rampant Australia, at least for the time being. The way the SA U19s won their last match should give them some confidence heading into the next phase of the tournament.

SUPER SIX FIXTURES

South Africa v Zimbabwe on 31 January 2024 at 10am at the JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom

South Africa v Sri Lanka on 2 February 2024 at 10am at the JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom

India won against the USA by a comfortable margin; whereas Australia were made to sweat by Sri Lanka, but eventually overcame the ask in the ICC Men's U19 Cricket World Cup 2024.

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India secure top spot with comprehensive win over the USA

Adarsh Singh and Arshin Kulkarni gave India a steady start. The duo scored at four an over during the first Powerplay, with Adarsh taking the lead in run-scoring. However, Adarsh fell in the 12th over after failing to clear the gap against Ateendra Subramanian. However, Arshin opened his arms, and India's scoring rate picked up.

Musheer Khan continued from where he'd left off in the last game, punishing the bad balls past the gaps to accumulate quick runs. The duo didn't hesitate to use their power and belted sixes when needed. By the 30-over mark, they had added 116 runs at better than a run a ball. The duo continued their belligerent run, till Musheer nicked a catch to short third man off Rishi Ramesh.

Kulkarni, however, continued at his pace and secured a brilliant ton. Skipper Uday Saharan also played a handy role with a 27-ball 35. India continued relying on big strokes. They almost doubled their total to finish at 326 for five. Eight sixes were hit in the India innings.

Raj Limban and Naman Tiwari were right on the mark with the new ball. They ran through the USA top-order in the first 10 overs. Limbani sent back Prannav Chettipalayam, USA's top-scorer against Bangladesh, in the very first over. Tiwari showed the same accuracy that was on display against Ireland, and cleaned up Bhavya Patel in the second over, before getting Rishi Ramesh in his fourth over.

A 43-run stand between Siddarth Kappa and Utkarsh Srivastava temporarily arrested the slide. Utkarsh impressed with his positive strokeplay, hitting four fours during his stay. However, with Kappa's dismissal, the North American unit was in disarray once more. Tiwari had Utkarsh in the 28th over, and Manav Nayak was bowled in his very next over.

Though the USA managed to hold on till the end of the game, India were comfortable winners and topped their group.

This ensured that they'll face New Zealand and Nepal in the Super Six.

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Aussies register win and top spot

Australia had the advantage with three strikes in the first 15 overs. Having recovered from the illness that kept him out against Zimbabwe, Callum Vidler returned in style. He picked both the openers in his spell of 2-21. Tom Campbell struck to remove Supun Waduge in the 15th over.

Ravishan de Silva and Dinura Kalupahana began the rebuild. The latter set his eyes in, while Ravishan went for his shots. After a well-made 30, Ravishan nicked one behind the wicket off Harjas Singh. However, Kalupahana picked pace soon after, with a six.

Kalupahana was pretty much the backbone of Sri Lanka's innings thereafter. He scored 64 from 78 with nine boundaries, including two additional sixes. His dismissal off Vidler put the innings in a tailspin. Sharujan Shanmuganathan's 21 helped the island nation cross 200 before they were bowled out in the 50th over.

Australia's reliable opening pair of Harry Dixon and Sam Konstas gave them a usual strong start at the top. They overcame the challenge of Sri Lankan fast bowlers and spinners alike. Australia were going at over 5.5, when Dixon fell to Vishwa Lahiru.

The experienced left-arm spinner then accounted for Australia skipper Hugh Weibgen soon after. Seven balls later, Malsha Tharupathi trapped Sam Konstas leg-before to throw the game wide open.

A 49-run stand between Harjas Singh and Ryan Hicks helped Australia get their chase on track. Harjas was solid in his defence, while Hicks was positive and looked to accumulate runs. However, tidy work from wicketkeeper Shanmuganathan caught Harjas short of the crease off Jayawardena, and Sri Lanka had an opening.

But Hicks was joined by Tom Campbell, and together the duo brought down the asking rate, and pushed Australia steadily towards the target. They eventually crossed the line in the 49th over.

Hicks was declared as the Player of the Match for his unbeaten 77*.

A sensational 37-ball 83 by Steve Stolk powered South Africa Under-19 into the Super Sixes stages of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 after a thumping seven-wicket win over Scotland at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Saturday. 

The right-hander crashed eight sixes and seven fours in an incredible exhibition of batting that saw him reach 50 in a scarcely believable 13 deliveries. It was the quickest half-century in the history of the tournament, smashing the 18-ball record previously held by India’s Rishabh Pant.  

Stolk, who plundered spinner Qasim Khan for 34 off one over during that period, was aided expertly by Dewan Marais (80* off 50 balls, 8 fours, 3 sixes) with the pair both pivotal as the junior Proteas chased down a 270 target with 23 overs to spare. 

The result meant the hosts won two out of three games in Group B to finish level on four points with both England and West Indies but topped the pool on net run-rate.  

And they will now enter the latter stages of the competition oozing with confidence after a real statement win. 

However, they may not have been entirely pleased with their display after allowing the Scots to post 269 for nine after they were put in to bat first. 

There were two key performances by the tourists, one from captain Owen Gould, who top-scored with 97 (89 balls, 11 fours, 3 sixes), and opener Jamie Dunk after he struck 90 (121 balls, 11 fours). 

Riley Norton was the pick of the bowlers with three for 48, but Scotland would have been the happier team heading into the break. 

However, all that changed as soon as Stolk and Lhuan-dre Pretorius (22) walked in to bat.  

Spearheaded by the former, they reached 50 in just three overs and doubled that score in 7.1 overs as right-handed Stolk went berserk. He clubbed five sixes in that one disastrous over sent down by Qasim, before the partnership finally broke when Pretorius fell on 114. 

Stolk soon fell to a standing ovation and was followed by Tristan Luus (14) in quick succession, but another damning knock by Marais proved too much for Scotland. 

He put on an unbroken 122 for the fourth wicket with David Teeger (43*) to lead the South Africans to a comfortable win with a whopping 138 balls to spare. 

A stunning display of hitting by opener Steve Stolk helped the South Africa U19 team to not only beat Scotland by seven wickets but top group B in their ICC U19 Cricket World Cup match at JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Saturday.

Chasing 270 for victory – after Scotland compiled their biggest total in a U19 international of 269 for nine – player of the match Stolk belted 86 in 37 balls, including seven fours and eight sixes, to propel his team to a famous win.

Along the way, the powerful right-hander reached his 50 in 13 balls, the fastest to the mark in U19 World Cup history. His innings included five huge sixes and a four off the third over delivered by spinner Qasim Khan. Khan eventually went for 54 runs in just three overs.

SOUTH AFRICA REIGN SUPREME 🤌

An ASTOUNDING chase from the SA U19s to book their seat in the Super Six Stage and top Group B 🇿🇦🔝

Hats off to the team 👏 #WozaNawe #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/aUMkhHHhCU

— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) January 27, 2024

It was a key match for South Africa because they needed to win it to make sure of progressing to the Super Six stage. They achieved this with such aplomb that they will stay in Potch for the next stage.

Stolk – who has been offered a rookie contract by the Pretoria Capitals – was not the only batsman to take South Africa to victory.

After he and Lhuan-dre Pretorius (22) had belted an opening stand of 114 in 57 balls, Dewan Marais and David Teeger put a final gloss on the result when they added an unbroken 122 in 82 balls for the fourth wicket, reaching their victory target with 19 balls to spare to improve their net run rate to 1.11, well above second-placed England’s 0.90. The third-placed West Indies also went through to the next phase.

Marais The Menace! 😨

Dewan Marais continues to have a fantastic tournament as he adds another half-century to his name 👌🇿🇦#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/PEL3Wf9mI8

— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) January 27, 2024

Marais finished with an unbeaten 80 (8x4s, 3x6s off 50 balls) while Teeger was undefeated on 43 off 38 balls. Altogether 12 sixes were struck in the South African innings as well as 25 fours as the home nation also broke the record for the highest runs per over ratio for a team chasing a victory target of more than 200.

Little wonder that Stolk afterwards said that he felt “pretty ecstatic” with his personal performance but that first and foremost it was a team performance and that “we’re really proud of each other”.

Earlier, however, South Africa struggled to subdue a game opposition after they won the toss and inserted Scotland.

Opener Jamie Dunk and skipper Owen Gould struck 90 and 97 respectively to propel Scotland to their highest total.

Both Dunk and fellow opener Adi Hegde had a torrid time of it against excellent opening spells from South African pace bowlers Tristan Luus and Kwena Maphaka, who beat the bat time and again without success. The pair were only able to compile 27 in the first power play of 10 overs – Scotland’s lowest of the competition – before paceman Riley Norton yorked Hegde (5 in 33 balls) in the 11th over.

But Scotland’s main aim was clearly to build a secure foundation for their innings without losing too many wickets, and Dunk and Alec Price gradually increased the run-rate in a partnership of 57 in 74 balls before Price (18) was leg before to left-arm spinner Sipho Potsane.

Price’s dismissal paved the way for the biggest partnership of the innings between Dunk and his captain, Owen Gould, who added 115 in 125 balls for the third wicket, with both men growing in confidence as their respective innings progressed.

By the time Dunk was caught in the deep for 90 (121 balls, 11x4s), the Scots were closing in on their highest total of the competition. Thereafter wickets fell regularly as the batsmen accelerated the run rate with Uzair Ahmad (23) cracking three sixes and a four in his eight-ball innings while Gould (97 in 89 balls, including 11x4s and 3x6s) fell in the final over.

South Africa began well with the ball but gradually their work grew more ragged as they conceded 23 wides in a total of 30 extras, although they did effect three run-outs in the final over.

Riley Norton (3-48) was the most successful of the home team’s bowlers with Maphaka claiming 2-53.

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SOUTH AFRICA: Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Steve Stolk, David Teeger, Richard Seletswane, Dewan Marais, Romashan Pillay, Juan James (C), Riley Norton, Tristan Luus, Sipho Potsane, Kwena Maphaka.

SCOTLAND: Jamie Dunk, Adi Hegde, Alec Price, Owen Gould (C)(WK), Uzair Ahmad, Bahadar Esakhiel, Rory Grant, Logan Briggs, Ruaridh McIntyre, Nikhil Koteeswaran, Qasim Khan.

The ninth day of ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 sees action in Kimberley, Potchefstroom, and East London.

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Pakistan secure 10-wicket win over New Zealand

It was all Ubaid Shah at the start of the Kiwi innings. The pacer beat the bat several times by getting the ball to jag around considerably. He ran through the New Zealand top order in his first spell. Luke Watson had barely settled in when Ubaid beat him with a peach and sent his off-stump cartwheeling.

His partner, Tom Jones, looked like he had settled in with three boundaries, but Ubaid moved one prodigiously in the seventh over and got a thick nick that went behind to the keeper. Snehith Reddy was sent packing off the last ball of the same over when Ubaid swung one in and sent his middle stump into the air.

Oscar Jackson added 26 for the fourth wicket along with Ollie Tewatiya but fell to a good length ball from Mohammad Zeeshan. Jackson tried to go leg side but the ball rose on him and took a leading edge which went straight to the gully region.

Lachlan Stackpole brought the initiative back to New Zealand with a flurry of boundaries. He backed his timing against the pacers, and used power to muscle fours and sixes against the spinners.

Naveed Khan brought Pakistan back into the game with his strikes. Stackpole fell while trying to dispatch the offspinner over the covers. The ball didn't elevate to the intended level, and Shamyl Hussain took a catch. Tewatiya was the next to go, getting stumped off Naveed's bowling. Ali Asfand and Arafat Minhas struck with their left-arm spin to rattle the Kiwi tail.

The Kiwi innings fell through, and they were bowled out for 140.

PAKISTAN RESPONSE

In response, Shamyl Hossain and Shahzaib Khan had Pakistan off to the perfect start. Putting their foot on the pedal, they set the right tone for the chase. Shahzaib took the lead in run scoring, even as the Boys in Green went at better than a run a ball.

The duo slowed down after their enthusiastic start, going at about four an over between overs 11-17. However, Shahzaib picked pace again, taking on Tewatiya, hitting the left-arm spinner for two sixes in the 19th over. Shamyl followed suit taking on Zac Cumming in the 21st over, hitting a six and a four against the legspinner, before letting Shahzaib sign off with a six off the final ball of the over.

The duo made it feel like Pakistan were playing on a different wicket. The Boys in Green won the game with all their wickets intact.

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Zimbabwe into the Super Six

Hansie de Villiers was trapped lbw early in the innings by Kohl Eksteen. Along with JW Visagie, Gerhard Janse van Rensburg stabilised the innings against a disciplined Zimbabwe. Visagie fell finally when he played on against Newman Nyamhuri.

The Eagles couldn't escape Nyamhuri's wrath over the upcoming overs, as the left-arm seamer kept getting crucial breakthroughs. Janse van Rensburg (23) was the next to go when he tried to pull Nyamhuri but ended up giving a leading edge straight to the third. Before Namibia could get back on their feet, Zacheo van Vuuren saw his off stump uprooted after missing a sharp delivery from Nyamhuri.

Alex Volschenk tried to bring the innings back on track, but Ryan Simbi struck thrice to derail the Namibia innings. He accounted for Ben Brassell, Volschenk and Jack Brassell before Namibia could touch 100.

It took a sturdy effort from Hanro Badenhorst (39*) to help Namibia bat out their 50 overs. Newman Nyamhuri finished with 4-21 for his effort.

The Young Chevrons were steady yet safe in their approach. 21 were added for the first wicket, mostly from the willow of wicketkeeper Ryan Kamwemba, before he fell lbw to Jack Brassell. Panashe Taruvinga and Brandon Sunguro stuck to the same principle, bringing up their 50-run stand in the 17th over, but scoring merely four runs off the next four overs. Taruvinga then slammed four fours in the 22nd over.

The modest target ahead of them allowed them to vary their approach as per the conditions.