The ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2024 final will see Australia facing off against India after the former edged Pakistan in a thrilling contest in Benoni on Thursday.
If India's narrow win over South Africa in the first semi-final was not enough, Benoni bore witness to another nail-biter as Australia beat Pakistan by one wicket to join India in the tournament final.
Reduced to nine wickets with 16 runs still required in a run-chase of 180, Pakistan had one foot in the final. However, Australia's last-wicket pair held their nerve, defying the odds to clinch the match with just five balls remaining, leaving the spectators on the edge of their seats.
The win means that we will have a repeat of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 final with U19 World Cup defending champions India going head to head against Australia.
Australia beat Pakistan by one wicket in Benoni
Pakistan 179 (48.5 overs) beat Australia 181/9 (49.1 overs)
Australia's captain, Hugh Weibgen, won the toss and opted to put Pakistan in to bat in the crucial semi-final match of the 2024 edition of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, unleashing his pace bowlers on a fresh wicket.
Pakistan's openers, Shamyl Hussain and Shahzaib Khan, started cautiously against the new ball from Mahli Beardman and Callum Vidler. However, the introduction of Tom Straker as the first change bowler brought immediate success for Australia.
In just his second over, Straker claimed the important wicket of Shamyl Hussain, who attempted an ambitious pull shot only to top-edge it to Oliver Peake, taking a fine catch at mid-on. Shortly after, Shahzaib's watchful innings came to an end as he miscued a drive off Vidler to Hugh Weibgen at backward point, who held onto a splendid low catch.
With both openers dismissed within the Powerplay, Australia gained a strong foothold in the semi-final. Saad Baig and Azan Awais looked to rebuild for Pakistan and the former was saved by a dropped chance from Harry Dixon at first slip off Straker.
Baig’s luck didn't last long, though, as Straker had the last laugh in the next over. The seamer found the left-hander’s edge again and this time Dixon hung on to the catch at slip to reduce Pakistan to 43 for three.
After 16 overs dominated by pace, Weibgen introduced spin into the attack. Raf MacMillan responded to his captain's call by dismissing Ahmad Hassan with a well-pitched delivery that trapped him in front of the stumps.
MacMillan came close to claiming another wicket when Haroon Arshad narrowly survived a stumping chance. However, Beardman's return to the attack proved fruitful as he dismissed Arshad with a delivery that skidded off the pitch and disturbed the off-stump.
Arafat Minhas joined Azan Awais, and together they revived Pakistan's innings with a steady partnership. Awais reached his half-century off 83 balls, as the pair steadily increased the scoring rate between overs 31 to 40.
However, Straker ended their partnership by dismissing Awais for 52, caught behind by the wicketkeeper. With Awais departing, Pakistan found themselves in a precarious position at 133 for six, requiring a significant contribution from the lower order.
Minhas carried on unflustered, thumping Vidler off the back foot with a strong pull and bringing out the square cut against the spinner. He reached his half-century off 60 balls, cutting Tom Campbell in front of square for a boundary, but fell next ball when he attempted a loft over cover and sliced it to the deep fielder.
The tailenders couldn’t add too much to the total as Straker ran through them, cleaning up the last two off successive deliveries, to finish with six wickets, as many as he had managed in the entire tournament until today.
Pakistan finished on 179, needing their bowlers to step up big-time to put them in the finals of the tournament.
While Harry Dixon and Sam Konstas got Australia off to a slow, steady start, Pakistan made a roaring comeback after the Powerplay overs.
Fifteen-year-old Ali Raza cleaned up Konstas with a delivery that nipped back in sharply to hit the stumps. Weibgen smashed a full toss straight to short cover off Naveed Khan to depart for four and a massive mix-up between Harjas Singh and Dixon saw the end of the former.
With three wickets falling quickly, Baig turned to strike bowler Ubaid Shah and the move worked. The dangerous Ryan Hicks was bowled off an inside edge for a golden duck as Australia slipped to a tense 59 for four.
Dixon was joined by the left-handed Ollie Peake, who has had to bat only two times in the competition before this. The two left-handers went about rebuilding the innings as Pakistan looked to attack further.
Dixon completed his half-century in the 24th over as Peake settled in at the other end. Minhas’ entry into the attack saw the back of Dixon. The left-arm spinner had the well-set Dixon cleaned up for 50 with a delivery that turned massively back into the batter.
Runs dried up as Minhas and Naveed Khan kept things pretty tight. Raza returned to the attack after Naveed was bowled out and almost instantly found a wicket. Tom Campbell’s edge was found but the ball raced over the keeper for a boundary, the first for Australia in nine overs.
Minhas, meanwhile, continued to bowl unchanged from his end and in his eighth over, the left-arm spinner struck again. Campbell was undone by an arm ball that skidded on with the angle and hit the stumps.
With another threatening stand broken, Pakistan were back into the contest. Australia were still 34 runs away with four wickets left in the bank. Raza found MacMillan’s edge the very next over with the slip fielder diving to take a catch close to the ground. But confirmation for a clean catch wasn't needed as the ball was over waist height and hence a no-ball.
Peake continued to build, unflustered by the chaos around him, but while on 49, he nicked a harmless Raza delivery, going down the leg-side, through to the wicketkeeper to leave Australia in a tricky position. They were still 25 runs away and Pakistan sensed a way back to win the contest.
Raza added two more in his final over to put Pakistan on the brink of a sensational win, sending back Staker and Beardman to reduce Australia to nine down.
MacMillan continued to fight though and got a lucky top edge over the keeper's head for four in the 48th over with Australia needing less than 10 runs.
Ubaid Shah almost trapped the lower-order batsman in front in the following over, but the umpire dismissed the appeal, judging the ball to be sliding down the leg-side. Vidler then played out the remaining deliveries, reducing the equation to just three runs needed off the last over.
In a nerve-wracking climax, on the first ball of the final over, MacMillan, who looked to punch off his back foot, got an inside edge and the ball raced through fine leg, securing Australia's thrilling victory.
Australia now have the opportunity to replicate the success of their senior team from three months ago when they face India in the final on Sunday, 11 February.
Australia skipper Hugh Weibgen stated that he had full confidence in Vidler and MacMillan to successfully finish the run-chase.
“Never in doubt [win]. We had full faith in Vids [Vidler] and Raf [MacMillan] to get the job done. There was quite a bit of emotion in the dressing room. I was quite tense and excited too. I still don’t know what really happened, but it was awesome.”
Pakistan skipper Saad Baig commended Ali Raza for his splendid spell, but remained composed despite the heartbreaking loss.
“It is difficult to be the losing team, but I felt we were 20-30 runs short. The boys played really well. Ali Raza was brilliant. Our bowling was pretty good throughout the tournament. Anyway, one team has to win, one has to lose, that’s the game.”
West Indies Under-19s have unfortunately missed out on a spot in the semi-finals of the ICC Under-19 World Cup in South Africa after their crucial final Super Six match against Australia ended in a no result on Friday at the Diamond Oval in Kimberly
The West Indies entered the game third in Group 2 behind Australia and South Africa knowing they needed a win to keep their final four hopes alive.
After winning the toss and electing to field first, things started really well for the Windies as they restricted the Aussies to 87-5 just past the halfway mark of their innings.
However, an 89-run sixth wicket partnership between Sam Konstas and Raf MacMillan provided some much-needed stability to the Australian batting effort.
In the end, Australia were reduced to 227-8 from their 50 overs. Konstas led the way with a brilliantly compiled 108 off 121 balls including 11 fours and three sixes while MacMillan was the next highest scorer with 29.
Nathan Edward led the way with the ball for the West indies with 3-32 off nine overs while Isai Thorne took 2-50 from 10.
In reply, the West Indies were 24-2 off 4.3 overs when play was halted due to lightning.
As time passed, the lightning was joined by rain and the match was eventually called off.
The no result meant that the West Indies ended the Super Six on five points from their four games, one point behind hosts South Africa who booked their spot in the semis with a dominant 119-run win over Sri Lanka in Potchefstroom to move to six points.
Australia ended up on seven points to win the group.
With the group stage done on Sunday, 12 teams remain in contention for the ICC U19 Men's World Cup 2024 as the tournament enters the Super Six phase.
Qualified Teams
The Super Six will involve the top three sides from each of the four round-robin groups, with teams progressing from Groups A and D comprising one Group, and those from B and C the other.
Crucially, each team carries forward the points and NRR they earned against fellow Super Six qualifying teams.
The six teams to make it from Groups A and D are India, Bangladesh, Ireland, Pakistan, New Zealand, and Nepal.
South Africa, England, West Indies, Australia, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe progress from Groups B and C.
USA, Afghanistan, Namibia and Scotland – the four teams who didn't make the second stage of the tournament – will contest in play-offs for the last four places.
Super Six format
The teams will play two matches in the Super Six stage against their opponents from the corresponding group who finished in a different position in their group. That means India (toppers of Group A) will face off against New Zealand (second position in Group D), and Nepal (third position in Group D).
The top two sides from the two Super Six groups will then progress to the semi-final stage.
The two semi-finals are scheduled to be held on 6 and 8 February. The final is set to take place on 11 February, with all three knockout games set to take place in Benoni.
Below are the complete fixtures of the Super Six Stage:
30 January
India v New Zealand in Bloemfontein
Sri Lanka v West Indies in Kimberley
Pakistan v Ireland in Potchefstroom
31 January
Nepal v Bangladesh in Bloemfontein
Australia v England in Kimberley
Zimbabwe v South Africa in Potchefstroom
02 February
India v Nepal in Bloemfontein
West Indies v Australia in Kimberley
South Africa v Sri Lanka in Potchefstroom
03 February
Pakistan v Bangladesh in Benoni
New Zealand v Ireland in Bloemfontein
England v Zimbabwe in Potchefstroom
The West Indies will begin the Super Six third in group two with two points thanks to their group stage win over England, trailing Sri Lanka (2) and Australia (4).
Australia secured a two-wicket win over Afghanistan at the Coolidge Cricket Ground to finish third at the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup Friday.
Afghanistan won the toss, chose to bat first and posted a relatively modest 201 all out off 49.2 overs.
Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai was the chief run-getter for Afghanistan with 81 off 79 balls including five fours and five sixes.
He was supported by captain Suliman Safi (37) and Mohammad Ishaq (34).
Nivethan Radhakrishnan was the pick of the Australian bowlers with 3-31 from 10 overs while William Salzmann supported well with 3-43 from his 10 overs.
Radhakrishnan completed a fine all-round performance with a top score of 66 off 96 balls including seven fours to lead Australia in their chase.
Campbell Kellaway also got a half-century (51) in the Australian reply.
After seeming to have it all under control at 118-3 in the 29th over, timely wickets made the journey a lot harder than the Aussies would have liked.
Some tight bowling and unsure batting led to Afghanistan being on the cusp of an unlikely comeback victory with Australia reeling at 196-8 with two overs remaining before Joshua Garner and Jack Sinfield held their nerves to get Australia over the line, reaching 202-8 off 49.1 overs to secure the win.
Nangeyalia Kharote took 3-35 off 9.1 overs while Shahidullah Hasani and Noor Ahmad took two wickets each for Afghanistan.
India secured a comprehensive 96-run win over Australia at the Coolidge Cricket Ground on Wednesday to set up an encounter with England in the final of the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup on Saturday.
After winning the toss and batting first on a batting-friendly pitch, the Indians made good use of their opportunity to post 290-5 off their 50 overs.
Captain Yash Dhull was the star with a stroke-filled 110 off 110 balls with 10 fours and a six while Shaik Rasheed supported his skipper well with a well-made 94 off 108 balls with eight fours and a six.
Australia’s bowling unit didn’t have much success with Jack Nisbet and William Salzmann being the only wicket-takers with 2-41 from nine overs and 2-57 from 10 overs, respectively.
Lachlan Shaw was Australia’s main run-scorer in a futile chase with 51 while Corey Miller got 38.
Campbell Kellaway was the only other Australian batsman to get to 30 as the Aussies were routed for 194 in just 41.2 overs.
Vicky Ostwal was the pick of the Indian bowlers with 3-42 from his 10 overs while Nishant Sandhi and Ravi Kumar took two wickets each.
The final between India and England will take place at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Saturday while Afghanistan and Australia will contest the 3rd place playoff on Friday at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.
India are four-time winners of the event (2000, 2008, 2012, 2018) while England’s only title came in 1998.
England advanced to the final of the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup with a nail-biting 15-run win over Afghanistan in their Super League semi-final at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds in Antigua today.
In the rain-affected 47-overs per side encounter, England set a score of 231-6 off their 47 overs.
George Bell with 56 not out off 67 balls and Alex Horton with 53 not out off 36 balls were the main contributors for the English.
Opener George Thomas also got a half-century for England, 50 off 69 balls.
Naveed Zadran and Noor Ahmad took two wickets each for Afghanistan.
Afghanistan looked comfortable for the majority of their chase, reaching 94-2 in the 24th over before a flurry of wickets put them in a spot of bother.
The Asian outfit continued to battle and found themselves needing 18 off two overs with four wickets in hand before England leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed took three wickets in the penultimate and 46th over to pretty much end all hopes for the Afghans.
Eventually, Afghanistan ended 215-9 off their 47 overs.
Allah Noor with 60 and Mohammad Ishaq with 43 were the top scorers for Afghanistan against Ahmed’s 4-41 off six overs.
England will now face the winners of tomorrow’s second semi-final between Australia and India in the final to be played on February 5th.
West Indies Under-19s will play Papua New Guinea Under-19s on Wednesday in Trinidad & Tobago in a quarter-final of the ICC Men's Under-19 Cricket World Cup Plate Tournament.
West Indies Under-19s defeated Scotland Under-19s by seven wickets at Warner Park to secure their first win in the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup on Monday.
West Indies Under-19s won the toss and bowled first. That proved to be a good decision as the Scottish batsmen were unable to withstand a quality bowling performance from the West Indians, eventually being bowled out for 95 in 35.1 overs.
Opening bowler Shiva Sankar, who was voted man of the match, led the bowling for the home side with 3-17 from his seven overs.
Spinners Onaje Amory and Anderson Mahase took 2-26 off 10 overs and 2-16 off 5.1 overs, respectively.
The West Indies had a relatively easy chase, losing just three wickets in their pursuit of 96 for victory.
Openers Shaqkere Parris (26) and Matthew Nandu (8) as well as wicket-keeper/batsman Rivaldo Clarke (13) were the batsmen out.
Teddy Bishop and Jordan Johnson finished not out on 23 and 14, respectively, to help the West Indies successfully chase their target in 19.4 overs.
West Indies Under-19s, Australia Under-19s, and Sri Lanka Under-19s now all have two points with the West Indies leading the group on net run rate.
Sri Lanka Under-19s and Australia Under-19s were locked in battle in the other Group D match on the day with the Aussies being bowled out for 175 and Sri Lanka on 44-3, from nine overs, in pursuit of their target.
An unbeaten 86 from opener Teague Wyllie propelled Australia Under-19s to a comfortable six-wicket win over West Indies Under-19s in the opening game of the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup at Providence today.
Australia’s opening pair of Wyllie and Corey Miller marched to the crease in pursuit of their target of 170.
Opening bowlers Johann Layne and Shiva Sankar started the innings with tight bowling and the pressure paid off when Layne removed Miller for a duck to leave the Aussies 5-1 in the third over.
Sankar then got in on the action by removing number three Isaac Higgins for nine to leave the Australians 21-2 off 7.5 overs.
After 11 overs, Australia was 45-2 with Wyllie (17) and captain Cooper Connolly (12) at the crease.
After Connolly and Willey put together a solid partnership, it was broken by Onaje Amory in the 18th over when he removed Connolly for 23 to leave the Australians 74-3.
Australia after 20 overs were 77-3 with Wyllie on 36 and Nivethan Radhakrishnan on two.
Looking extremely comfortable at the crease, Wyllie (46) and Radhakrishnan (12) carried the Australian total past 100.
Soon after, Willey brought up his fifty, off 83 balls, in the 30th over.
Australia lost their fourth wicket when Radhakrishnan was dismissed in the 39th over by Matthew Nandu for 31 to leave the score at 139-4.
After 40 overs, Australia were 154-4 with Wyllie still batting on 79 and Campbell Kellaway on one.
The Aussies eventually got to 170-4 off 44.5 overs to register the six-wicket win.
Wyllie was voted man of the match.
Earlier, West Indies Under-19s were restricted to 169 all out in 40.1 overs, with captain Ackeem Auguste getting 57 and Rivaldo Clarke contributing 37 against three-wicket hauls from Tom Whitney (3-20 from 8.1 overs), Nivethan Radhakrishnan (3-48 from 10 overs) and captain Cooper Connolly (3-17 from 7 overs).
In the other Group D match today, Sri Lanka Under 19s (218 all out from 50 overs) beat Scotland Under-19s (178 all out from 48.4 overs) by 40 runs.
Both West Indies U-19s and Australia U-19s next games will be on Monday, January 17 against Scotland Under-19s and Sri Lanka Under-19s, respectively.
West Indies Under-19s were reduced to 169 all out off 40.1 overs, after winning the toss and choosing to bat first, in their opening ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup game against Australia Under-19s at Providence today.
Their innings got off to the worst possible start as opener Matthew Nandu was dismissed with the second ball of the innings by Tom Whitney to leave them 1-1.
The second wicket fell soon after as Whitney removed West Indies U-19s number three batsman Teddy Bishop for five, in the fifth over, to leave the score at 12-2.
Opener Shaqkere Parris became the third man to go in the very next over after being dismissed by William Salzmann for four to leave the young Windies 12-3.
Captain Ackeem Auguste (14) and Rivaldo Clarke (8) ensured that West Indies U19s lost no further wickets in the first 10 overs, carrying the score to 38-3.
Auguste and Clarke continued to look assured as they brought up 50 for the West Indies U19s after 13 overs.
After 20 overs, West Indies U-19s were 99-3 thanks to more quality batting from Auguste (46) and Clarke (37).
Auguste brought up two milestones with one shot in the 21st over, bringing up a classy 50 off 54 balls and the West Indies 100.
Australia U-19s got a much-needed breakthrough when Clarke went off the bowling of Nivethan Radhakrishnan for 37 to leave the score at 107-4 after 21.5 overs.
Giovonte Depeiza joined Auguste at the crease but didn’t last long, being dismissed by Australian captain Cooper Connolly for a duck to leave the young Windies 109-5 off 23 overs.
Connolly got his second wicket at the start of the 25th over, removing Auguste for a quality 56 to leave the score 112-6.
Radhakrishnan dismissed Anderson Mahase for six in the 28th over to take his second wicket and continue Australia’s stranglehold on the West Indies U19 batting line-up to leave them on 124-7.
After 30 overs, West Indies Under-19s were 131-7 with Johann Layne on 12 and McKenny Clarke on two.
Layne became Radhakrishnan’s third wicket in the 32nd over for 12 to leave the score at 131-8.
Connolly took his third wicket and Australia’s ninth when he removed Shiva Sankar for seven to leave West Indies U-19s 145-9.
Three McKenny Clarke sixes in the 38th over brought the score past 150.
After 40 overs, the West Indies U19s were 168-9 with McKenny Clarke on 29 and Onaje Amory on zero.
The innings was finally ended when McKenny Clarke was dismissed by Tom Whitney in the 41st over for 29.
Tom Whitney was the pick of the Australian bowlers with 3-20 off 8.1 overs and Nivethan Radhakrishnan supported him well with 3-48 off 10 overs.
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