Future stars hailing from five different nations including newly-crowned champions Australia comprise the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 Team of the Tournament, announced today by the International Cricket Council.
Australia captain Hugh Weibgen is given the honour of leading out the star-studded lineup, chosen by an esteemed panel of media, broadcast and ICC representatives.
India enjoyed a resounding campaign leading up to Sunday’s final, and mark their impressive tournament with four names in the team. Champions Australia have three players included, South Africa have two names – including the Player of the Tournament Kwena Maphaka – while the West Indies and Pakistan each have one player feature.
The selection panel consisted of commentary representatives Ian Bishop, Melinda Farrell and Abhinav Mukund, media representative Telford Vice, and ICC Head of Events, Chris Tetley.
The Team of the Tournament for the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup (in batting order):
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South Africa’s Pretorius takes the gloves for this Team of the Tournament, and also heads up the batting order, after a series of impressive and explosive displays in the Proteas surge to the semi-final.
The wicketkeeper batter hit three half-centuries towards the back end of the tournament, including an eye-catching 76 in the semi-final against India, and will be remembered for contributing heavily to his side’s fast starts, ending the U19 Men’s CWC with a strike rate of 94.09.
Australia’s Harry Dixon partners him atop the order after a superb tournament and some invaluable contributions in the knockout stages. Dixon remained resolute in the semi-final and final despite the challenges posed by bowling attacks of Pakistan and India, registering important runs atop the order in both, as well as their emphatic win over England in the Super Six stage.
India’s Musheer Khan takes the number three spot as the only batter to register two centuries during the competition. Despite a subdued end to the tournament, Musheer displayed plenty of early promise, featuring a wide array of attacking shots, as well as an ability to pick up wickets with his probing left-arm spin.
Captain Weibgen was instrumental to Australia’s fourth U19 Men’s CWC title, providing valuable runs and making intelligent on-field decisions that sparked another successful campaign. After a sensational match-winning century against rivals England on a difficult Kimberley pitch in the Super Six stage, Weibgen continued to grow as a player and leader, eventually sealing the deal with victory in Benoni inspired by his decision at the toss and with team selection.
Top run-scorer for the event, Uday Saharan played a pivotal role in India’s dominance through to the final. Scoring consistently throughout the event and registering a century against Nepal, Saharan saved his best performance for the thrilling semi-final against South Africa, dragging India back from the brink of elimination with a vital 81 runs to seal their spot in the final.
Saharan’s primary ally that day was Sachin Dhas, and the composed right-hander also earns a place in the Team of the Tournament for his ability to relieve pressure situations, and the innovative and aggressive strokeplay that charactised India’s wins over Nepal (116 runs) and South Africa (96 runs).
The West Indies made a promising start to the tournament, and could have progressed through to the semi-finals had their all-or-nothing match against Australia not been washed out. All-rounder Nathan Edward was a standout performer for the side, in particular during their win against England in Potchefstroom, taking three wickets and hitting 49 in a high-pressure chase.
The four out and out bowlers in the side all found success in their respective sides.
Australia’s Callum Vidler enjoyed plenty of pace and bounce on the South African surfaces, and posed a constant threat to batters throughout the competition. He starred in wins over England and Sri Lanka before his efforts in the semis and final included prized wickets with the new ball.
Ubaid Shah was in scintillating form for Pakistan in the U19 Men’s CWC, spearheading their bowling attack and demonstrating lethal amounts of pace that produced vital wicket taking spells in his side’s wins over New Zealand (three for 30) and Bangladesh (five for 44) in their run to the semi-final.
Player of the Tournament Kwena Maphaka set the World Cup alight from day one. Searing pace and swing handed him his first of three five-wicket hauls in the dramatic win over West Indies on opening day, and the pacer never looked back, with stellar performances in wins over Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.
Maphaka almost provided South Africa with another match-winning performance in the semi-final defeat against India, yet his pace, bounce and ability to take important wickets just saw the young Proteas fall short.
Maphaka ended the tournament with 21 wickets, leaving him at the summit of the wicket-taking charts.
Completing the lineup is India’s Saumy Pandey, whose left-arm spin threat yielded 18 wickets – the most by any spinner in the tournament. Twinned with a supreme ability to bowl economical spells, Pandey was inspirational in the early stages in Bloemfontein, highlighted by his performances in wins over Bangladesh (four for 24) and New Zealand (four for 19).
The twelfth player listed in the ICC Team of the Tournament is Scotland opening batter Jamie Dunk. So important in their journey to the World Cup through the Europe Qualifiers, Dunk adapted well to the World Cup environment, registering impressive half-centuries against West Indies (57), South Africa (90) and in the gripping play-off match against Namibia (76).
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.”
The clash between unbeaten India and hosts South Africa lived up to its billing in the first semi-final of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024.
In a thrilling contest that went down to the wire, India secured a hard-fought victory, thanks to outstanding half-centuries from Uday Saharan and Sachin Dhas.
Saharan's team will now have the chance to defend their title in the final on Sunday, 11 February.
India now await the winner of the second semi-final match between Australia and Pakistan on Thursday to see who they will face in the title clash.
India beat South Africa by 2 wickets in Benoni
South Africa 244/7 (50) vs India 248/8 (48.5)
After losing four tosses in the first four games, Uday Saharan got it right for the second in a row and chose to field first. This was the first time that India bowled first in the tournament, having batted in each of their five victories so far.
Once again displaying his customary aggression in the tournament, South Africa opener Steve Stolk took charge early on, hitting two fours in the first three overs. He continued his onslaught with a maximum off Raj Limbani in the fifth but it was the Indian pacer who had the last laugh as Stolk's attempted cut resulted in an edge straight into the hands of the wicketkeeper.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius kept the foot on the pedal thereafter, including a six and a four against Naman Tiwari in the 8th over. At the other end though, Limbani was on the money and accounted for the wicket of David Teeger for a duck, rattling the stumps with a peach of an inswinger.
Undeterred by the loss of two wickets, Pretorius continued playing attacking shots, and by the end of the Powerplay, South Africa were going close to a run-a-ball.
Saharan decided to introduce his spinners into play, effectively curbing South Africa's scoring – only five boundaries were scored in the span of overs 11 to 30.
However, the partnership between Pretorius and Richard Seletswane ensured a steady flow of runs, with Pretorius reaching his half-century off 59 balls.
With the run-rate at less than four, the mounting pressure got to Pretorius, who tried to swat Musheer Khan over mid-wicket, but Murugan Abhishek showed brilliant reflexes to hang on to a stunning catch.
The Proteas saw an uptick in boundaries when Seletswane and Oliver Whitehead combined for a 45-run partnership. Just as the partnership started to look dangerous, Musheer struck with the final ball of his spell, dismissing Whitehead.
South Africa’s decision to delay the entry of the dangerous Dewan Marais proved unsuccessful as he holed out to Saumy Pandey inches inside the boundary for just 3.
Between the two wickets, Seletswane brought up a patient half-century but having taken 90 balls to get to the milestone, the youngster fell trying to make up for the scoring rate.
Having hit Limbani for two fours in the 45th over, Seletswane tried to take the attack to Naman Tiwari in the next, but was undone by a good catch by Priyanshu Moliya running in from the deep.
Juan James too departed after a solid 19-ball 24-run cameo, leaving South Africa at 221/7 with two overs to go.
Tristan Luus gave the innings some much-needed impetus in the final two overs, unleashing two sixes and a four to finish with an unbeaten 23 off 12 balls.
As a result, South Africa set India a target of 245. This was the first time a team had got past the 200-run mark against India in the tournament so far.
In the chase, South Africa started brilliantly, courtesy Kwena Maphaka's breakthrough on the first ball of the innings. Adarsh Singh found himself helpless against a sharp bouncer, awkwardly prodding it to the keeper.
The short ball proved to be India's downfall once more as Tristan Luus' accurately-directed bouncer outsmarted the dangerous Musheer Khan, sparking massive celebrations in the South African camp following the dismissal of the leading run-scorer in the tournament.
India had to be patient, waiting until the seventh over for their first boundary, which came in the form of a maximum from Arshin Kulkarni off Maphaka. Unfortunately, that solitary moment of joy for India was short-lived, as their difficulties continued to mount with Arshin falling victim to Luus in the final over of the Powerplay.
India's situation worsened when Moliya, who had managed to strike a boundary off the first ball of Luus' over, departed while attempting a loose drive.
Facing a daunting situation at 32/4, captain Saharan and Sachin Dhas orchestrated a remarkable rescue mission with an impressive partnership. With runs drying up, the pair mixed caution with aggression to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Particularly targeting the bowling of Riley Norton, Dhas showcased his prowess by striking three boundaries in a single over, reclaiming some control for India. While Saharan held firm at one end, Dhas assumed the role of the aggressor, racing to a half-century off 47 balls to keep the required run rate under 6.
Saharan quickly found his rhythm with a splendid boundary off James, not only marking the 100-run partnership for the fifth wicket but also propelling himself past Musheer Khan to claim the top spot on the tournament run-scoring charts.
The partnership between the two was a masterclass in innings building and chasing, as they milked singles relentlessly while putting the poor deliveries away for boundaries.
The skipper too got in on the act, reaching his fifty off 88 balls with a boundary as India inched closer to victory.
Just as the required run rate got to a run-a-ball, Dhas and Saharan dispatched James for a six and four respectively to calm the nerves in the Indian camp.
But there was another twist as South Africa hit back when Maphaka was reintroduced into the attack. He got the better of Dhas with a well-disguised slower ball, the batter falling agonisingly short of a century on 96.
The wicket brought about a lull in scoring, and the mounting pressure became palpable. Aravelly Avanish displayed nerves of steel by striking a crucial boundary off Norton on the final ball of the 46th over.
Maphaka bowled the 47th over and made a big difference off the last ball of the spell with the wicket of Avanish, with Norton taking a good catch in the deep. Two balls later, the game turned on its head again when Abhishek Murugan fell victim to poor running, being caught short of his crease by a direct hit from Marais.
The two wickets put the pressure back on India but a six from an unlikely source – Raj Limbani – shifted the equation, bringing it down to nine runs required off the last two overs.
Saharan put to rest any hopes of a South African comeback with four off the first ball of the penultimate over. In another twist to the game, Saharan was run out trying to scramble for the winning run.
However, Limbani came in clutch again and struck a four off the final ball of the over to continue their unbeaten run and book their berth in the final.
The Player of the Match, India captain Uday Saharan, shared insights in the post-match presentation after bailing the team out of early trouble.
“I just believed in myself [after coming out to bat]. I knew it was a matter of one partnership and the game would be ours. I just kept telling myself repeatedly that I needed to bat till the end.”
The West Indies got their third win in a row with a tense three-wicket win over Sri Lanka to open their Super Six campaign at the ICC Under-19 World Cup in South Africa on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka first posted 231 from their 50 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat first at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley.
Dinura Kalupahana made 53 from 83 balls to lead the Sri Lankan batting effort while Malsha Tharupathi made 42 off 38 and Supun Waduge 31 off 40 to provide good support.
Raneico Smith took 4-47 from his 10 overs to lead the West Indian bowling effort while Nathan Edward took 2-47 from his nine overs. Nathan Sealy and Tarrique Edward took a wicket each.
The West Indies then completed a tense chase, reaching 232-7 from 49.3 overs.
Steven Wedderburn, playing only his second match of the tournament, led the way with a 71-ball 61 at the top of the order. His knock included five fours and three sixes.
He was well supported by Jordan Johnson who made 39 off 46 balls including four fours. Captain Stephan Pascal made a swift 26-ball 33 including five fours and a six.
The West Indies were cruising at 147-2 in the 27th over before Wedderburn and Johnson fell in successive overs to leave the West indies 149-4 in the 28th over.
The subsequent wickets of Mavendra Dindyal (17), Nathan Edward (13) and Jewel Andrew (11) left the West Indies in a tricky position at 206-7 in the 46th over before a match-winning 26-run eighth wicket partnership between Nathan Sealy and Tarrique Edward.
Sealy finished 27* off 28 balls while Edward finished 11* off 13 balls.
Vishwa Lahiru took 2-32 from his 10 overs for Sri Lanka while Dinura Kalupahana and Sineth Jayawardena also took a pair of wickets, each.
The West Indies are now second in Group two of the Super Six with four points, the same as Australia who play England tomorrow. The Caribbean side will play Australia in their final Super Six game on Friday.
The top two teams in the group will advance to the semi-finals.
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).
Dominica’s Stephan Pascal hit a half-century while St. Maarten’s Nathan Edward starred with ball and bat to help the West Indies U-19s secure a narrow two-wicket victory over England to confirm their progression through to the Super Sixes stage at the ICC Under-19 World Cup at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom.
Edward, 18, got the ball rolling almost immediately with the wicket of England opened Jaydn Denly just four balls into the contest after the West Indies won the toss and put England in to bat.
Skipper Ben McKinney and Noah Thain then put on 50 for the second wicket before McKinney was Edward’s second victim for 26 in the 11th over.
Thain and new batsman Hamza Shaikh then added a further 47 for the third wicket before Thain went for 40 in the 21st over.
England then lost their next four wickets at 99, 120, 135 and 147 before eventually being bowled out for 192 in 46.3 overs.
Shaikh went on to top score with 53 while Edward, who also took two catches, finished with 3-28 from his 6.3 overs.
He was well supported by Raneico Smith (2-28), Isai Thorne (2-40) and Tarrique Edward (2-40).
The West Indians then lost eight wickets in a nervy chase, eventually bringing up the win reaching 196-8 after 41 overs.
Captain Stephan Pascal led the way with 58 off 84 balls while Edward made a match-winning 49* off 80 balls including five fours and a six.
After the wickets of Jordan Johnson for a rapid 17-ball 31 including four fours and two sixes, Mavendra Dindyal for 14 and Jewel Andrew, the tournament’s leading run-scorer heading into this game with scores of 130 against South Africa and 64* against Scotland, for just two, the West Indies were reeling at 98-5 in the 16th over.
Pascal was then joined at the crease by Edward and the pair put on 51 before Pascal inexplicably tried to go over the top off leg-spinner Tazeem Ali only to be caught at mid-off in the 32nd over.
The subsequent quick dismissal of Nathan Sealy for one in the 35th over put the Windies in a tough spot at 156-7 but Nathan and Tarrique Edward were able go hold their nerve.
Tarrique Edward was eventually dismissed for 5 in the 40th over with the Windies needing just one to win.
The West Indies are now through to the Super Sixes phase of the competition.
The top three from each group qualify for the Super Sixes stage. From there, the 12 teams will be divided into two groups of six each. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.
Defending champions, India, are off to a winning start against Bangladesh, while England and Pakistan also secured strong wins on the second day of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024.
India overcame an ordinary start in Bloemfontein to beat Bangladesh by 81 runs. After being rattled by Maruf Mridha at the start, Adarsh Singh and Uday Saharan fought back with fifties to help India to 251/7. Left-arm spinners Saumy Pandey and Musheer Khan then shared six wickets between them to help India to a win.
Spin dominated proceedings in Potchefstroom too, where three-wicket hauls from Farhan Ahmed and Luc Benkenstein helped England to a seven-wicket win over Scotland.
Meanwhile, a brilliant hundred from Shahzaib Khan helped Pakistan post a strong total in East London. Ubaid Shah and other pacers then ran through the Afghanistan batting to give the side a huge net run rate advantage.
India beat Bangladesh by 81 runs in Bloemfontein
India 251/7 (50 overs) v Bangladesh 167 (45.5 overs)
Bangladesh decided to bowl first in Bloemfontein, looking to make the most of any early help available.
Left-arm pacer Maruf Mridha bowled with pinpoint accuracy and troubled the India openers. He eventually accounted for Arshin Kulkarni (7) and Musheer Khan (3) in his first spell to leave India in trouble.
India’s innings was anchored by the left-right combination of Adarsh Singh and skipper Uday Saharan. The duo overcame the guile of Bangladesh bowlers and put together a crucial 116-run stand for the third wicket. Things got tense during the middle overs, when the players engaged in verbal battles amidst India’s rising stand.
Adarsh (74) eventually fell while trying to loft Chowdhury Md Rizwan over mid-off in the 32nd over.
Bangladesh pressed on after this breakthrough, and soon had Saharan (64), whose composed knock came to an end off Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby’s bowling.
Useful cameos from Aravelly Avanish (23 from 17) and Sachin Dhas (26 from 20) helped to add crucial runs to the Indian total, but Maruf returned to pick two more wickets and restrict India to 251/7. Maruf finished with an impressive five-wicket haul to announce himself in style. This was a step up for the pacer, as he’d picked a four-wicket haul in a semi-final win against the same opponents in the U19 Asia Cup last month.
Some erratic new ball bowling combined with a studious effort from the Bangladesh openers helped them get off to a confident start. Eventually, India got their first breakthrough when Murugan Abhishek took a brilliant catch at point as Jishan Alam tried to pierce a Raj Limbani delivery past him.
India vice-captain Saumy Pandey made an impact as soon as he was introduced. His accuracy and persistence got the better of Bangladesh batters, who tried to charge at him to up the scoring rate. Rizwan and Ashiqur Rahman Shibli were cleaned up while trying to go after Pandey.
When Ahrar Amin fell lbw to Kulkarni, Bangladesh had lost four wickets with over 200 to get, and were in dire need of a consolidating act. This came from Ariful Islam and Mohammad Shihab James, who stabilised the innings with a patient stand. However, disciplined bowling from India ensured that the Bangladesh scoring rate didn’t go too high.
It was Musheer’s canny slow left-arm spin that accounted for Ariful, and Bangladesh’s fight wilted. Spin accounted for seven wickets, with Saumy finishing with 4/24.
India’s skipper Uday Saharan discussed his crucial third-wicket stand with Adarsh, which helped his team to a strong position in the first innings.
“We focussed on executing our plans. After the loss of two early wickets, we remained calm. Adarsh batted brilliantly. We knew if we stayed at the wicket, runs will keep coming.”
England beat Scotland by 7 wickets in Potchefstroom
Scotland 174 (49.2) v England 178/3 (26.2 overs)
England captain Ben McKinney elected to bowl first after winning the toss.
Scotland’s watchful start was disrupted by Farhan Ahmed’s double strike. Farhan, the younger brother of England international Rehan Ahmed, accounted for opener Adi Hegde (3) and Bahadar Esakhiel (0) in the 10th over. Scotland then tried to pick pace on the back of a settled partnership between Jamie Dunk and Owen Gould.
However, England vice-captain Luc Benkenstein weaved his magic in the middle-overs and put his side ahead. Luc, the son of former South Africa international Dale Benkenstein, scalped Dunk, Gould and Ibrahim Faisal to finish with 3/41. Farhan struck once more to end with 3/22. Though Scotland batted for almost 50 overs, they finished with a modest 174.
In response, Jaydn Denly and McKinney got off to a great start. They mixed caution with intent in the first Powerplay, taking on the loose deliveries, and accumulating 68 runs in the period. McKinney took charge between overs 11-14, hitting five boundaries including two sixes to push England closer to the target.
Denly fell while trying to pierce the cover region in the 16th over. However, by then England were merely 69 runs away from their ask. McKinney’s aggression kept his team on track, and they finished the game in the 27th over.
England skipper Ben McKinney was elated at the result after the game,
“Best start to the tournament. It’s probably the best situation we could’ve had. A few lads got in, and we bowled pretty well. So, I’m pretty happy.”
Pakistan beat Afghanistan by 181 runs in East London
Pakistan 284/9 (50 overs) v Afghanistan 103 (26.2 overs)
Pakistan skipper Saad Baig won the toss and elected to bat first.
A steady start from Shahzaib Khan and Shamyl Hussain saw Pakistan end the first Powerplay with all ten wickets in the bank. Right-arm pacer Khalil Ahmed helped Afghanistan make early breakthroughs, removing the set Shamyl (17) and Azan Awais (5) in successive overs.
Saad Baig took charge thereafter, hitting an aggressive 55 from 52. The knock included four sixes off Afghanistan tweakers, even as Pakistan gained a substantial foothold in the middle-overs. The third-wicket stand between Baig and Shahzaib added 92 runs from 90 balls, and saw the latter also free his arms after a sedate start.
Saad eventually fell to the impressive Allah Mohammad Ghanzafar, cleaned up when trying to take on the bowler. Another wicket followed soon after, and Afghanistan sensed a way back. However, a fighting stand between Shahzaib and Muhammad Riazullah brought the Boys in Green back into the game. Despite losing regular wickets in the last 10 overs, Pakistan added 84 runs to finish at a strong total. Shahzaib finished with the second century of the tournament, hitting 10 fours and three sixes in his 106. Khalil starred for Afghanistan with 4/51.
The young Pakistanis got going with the ball early in their innings. Amir Hassan and Ubaid Shah dominated the proceedings by picking three Afghanistan wickets. Ubaid’s scalp included Hassan Eisakhil (19), who had gotten off to a good start with four boundaries to his name. At the end of the 10-over mark, Afghanistan were struggling at 44/3.
In the second Powerplay, Pakistan pacers continued their attacking lines and complemented them with smart pace variations to run through the Afghanistan lineup.
Along with Ubaid, Mohammad Zeeshan ran through Afghanistan's middle and lower order. The 6’8” Zeeshan showed his discipline by bowling around a length that troubled the Afghanistan batters. With Khalil Ahmad run out in the 27th over, Afghanistan were bowled out for 103.
The Player of the Match award winner Shahzaib Khan stated that he planned his attack on the Afghanistan spinners in advance,
“Yes, we played according to a plan. I tried to muscle my shots in the wind’s direction, and to not play against the win. The attempt was also to hit all the shots in the gap.”
A magnificent 130 from 17-year-old Antiguan wicketkeeper/batsman Jewel Andrew was not enough as the West Indies Under-19s opened their 2024 World Cup campaign with a 31-run loss to hosts South Africa in the opening game of the tournament at Sewnes Park in Potchefstroom on Friday.
The hosts recovered from a tough position to post 285-9 from their 50 overs after being put in to bat by the 2016 champions.
At one point, South Africa found themselves 145-6 in the 35th over before a brilliant 130-run seventh wicket partnership between Dewan Marais and Captain Juan James.
Marais hit four fours and four sixes on his way to a top score of 65 off just 38 balls while James his three fours and one six for his 47 off 54 balls.
Earlier, David Teeger did his best to provide some stability to the innings with a patient 98-ball 44 batting at three while opener Lhuan-dre Pretorius made a 34-ball 40.
West Indies Vice-Captain Nathan Sealy was impressive with his left arm spin with 3-34 from his 10 overs while pacers Deshawn James and Nathan Edward took a pair of wickets each.
The West Indian reply then got off to the worst possible start when, off the second ball of the innings, Adrian Weir was wrongly adjudged out leg before wicket off the bowling of Kwena Maphaka for a duck.
That was the start of a horrendous first powerplay for the tourists with Captain Stephan Pascal (6), Joshua Dorne (9), Jordan Johnson (21) and Steven Wedderburn (12) all falling in quick succession.
With the West Indies 73-5, Nathan Sealy and Jewel Andrew were brought together and the pair put together a brilliant 117-run sixth wicket partnership to put victory well within reach for the Caribbean side.
The partnership came to an end in the 29th over when Sealy was brilliantly run out by Oliver Whitehead for a crucial 33 off 55 balls.
Shortly after Sealy’s dismissal, Andrew brought up a magnificent hundred off just 71 balls including 11 fours and three sixes.
With the West Indies comfortable, needing 61 from 90 balls with four wickets in hand, the game changed once again thanks to a brilliant piece of wicketkeeping from Ntando Zuma to stump Tarrique Edward for 13 off the bowling of David Teeger.
The West Indies fightback all but ended off consecutive deliveries in the 39th and 40th overs.
First, Maphaka picked up his fourth wicket of the innings with an excellent Yorker to dismiss Nathan Edward for 12 before Andrew’s innings finally came to an end off the bowling of Riley Norton at the start of the very next over with the West Indies needing a further 36 for victory.
Andrew made a brilliant 130 off just 96 balls including 14 fours and three sixes.
Maphaka ended proceedings with his fifth wicket, removing Isai Thorne for two to dismiss the West Indies for 254 off 40.1 overs.
Scores: South Africa Under-19s 285-9 off 50 overs (Dewan Marais 65, Juan James 47, David Teeger 44, Lhuan-de Pretorius 40, Nathan Sealy 3-34, Deshawn James 2-38, Nathan Edward 2-63)
West Indies Under-19s 254 off 40.1 overs (Jewel Andrew 130, Nathan Sealy 33, Jordan Johnson 21, Kwena Maphaka 5-38, Riley Norton 3-66)
The boys in Maroon benefitted from a session with former West Indies all-rounder Pollard. With plenty of experience in international cricket and high-octane global T20 leagues, Pollard was able to share his words of wisdom with the upcoming cricketers from the region.
Pollard featured in 123 ODIs for West Indies and scored 2706 runs at a strike rate of 94.41. He also scored three centuries and 13 fifties. In the T20I format, the all-rounder scored 1569 runs at a strike rate of 135.14. He also picked 55 ODI and 42 T20I wickets.
He was a part of the West Indies side that lifted the 2012 ICC Men's T20 World Cup and has also come through the ranks, playing the U19 World Cup in 2006.
Youngster Jordan Johnson thanked Pollard for his encouragement, "We'd like to thank you guys for coming up, and giving us your words of encouragement and motivation. And I hope that they'll use it to the best of their abilities. To help us throughout the World Cup. Thank you!"
West Indies begin their campaign on the opening day of the tournament, taking against hosts South Africa in Potchefstroom. Apart from the Proteas, they'll go up against England and Scotland in their group.
The ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 lies just ten days away, and preparations are in full flow as South Africa gears up to host the very best young cricketers in the world from 19 January.
The 15th edition of the celebrated event will see 41 matches take place across 24 days of competition, with five host venues staging the action; Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein, Kimberley Oval in Kimberley, JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom, Buffalo Park in East London and Willowmoore Park in Benoni – the venue selected to host the semi-finals and final encounter on 11 February.
Fans wanting to catch a glimpse of the next generation of cricket superstars can do so for free throughout the tournament, and the thrilling action of the U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup will be accompanied by a vibrant festival atmosphere at grounds, with braai areas, kids’ entertainment featuring jumping castles, face painting and more, live music offerings and a mini-cricket area for young fans to show off their own budding talents, ensuring a truly memorable experience for all.
With the start of the tournament fast approaching, teams are also entering the final stages of their preparations, and warm-up fixtures are set to take place across venues in Johannesburg and Pretoria between 13 and 17 January with spectators welcome to catch every ball, live.
Each team will play two warm-up fixtures before the main event commences on 19 January, and the opening round of fixtures offers plenty of drama and excitement as a host of rivals meet to start their World Cup campaigns.
Opening day (19 January) will see Potchefstroom host South Africa’s opening match against another former U19 champion, West Indies.
The young Proteas, led by captain David Teeger will be eager to start with a victory, and there is no shortage of excitement amongst the group.
South Africa U19 skipper Teeger: “The team and I cannot wait for the World Cup to start. The opportunity to play in such an esteemed tournament is a real honour and we are really excited to represent our country.
“With it being a home World Cup, it really is a once in a lifetime experience and we cannot wait to do the Mzansi nation proud.”
Ireland and USA go head-to-head in Bloemfontein also on opening day before India start the defence of their crown against Bangladesh at the same venue a day later on 20 January, in a repeat of the 2020 final. Both captains are looking forward to getting their campaigns off to a positive start.
India U19 captain Uday Saharan: “Our preparation has been intense, and the team has been working tirelessly to fine-tune every aspect of our game. We understand the challenges that come with representing our country at this level, but the excitement within the squad is palpable.
“The prospect of competing against the best U19 teams from around the world is both thrilling and motivating. We have a great blend of talent, determination, and team spirit, and we are looking forward to embracing the competition and giving our best on the field.”
Bangladesh U19 captain Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby: “We are very excited. Most players at this age level get one opportunity to participate in a U19 World Cup and we want to make this event a memorable one. We don't have to look far for inspiration. We became Asian champions only last month and four years ago our predecessors won the World Cup.
“We will go there to win the World Cup. Bangladesh has done that before and there is no reason why we can't carry the momentum from the Asia Cup to South Africa.”
Two further rivals lock horns on 20 January, as finalists from the previous edition England take on Scotland in Potchefstroom and Pakistan and Afghanistan meet in East London.
England U19 captain Ben McKinney: “This is the first U19 World Cup for all the players, and we want to show how exciting we are as a team.
“We want to showcase our skills and impose ourselves on each and every game, with an overall aim to go on and to win the tournament.”
Scotland U19 captain Owen Gould: "We are absolutely buzzing…It’s a huge honour to be representing Scotland. It’ll really sink in when we take to the pitch in the first game. Even to be playing in the qualifiers last summer was special, but this is just the next level up.
“That first England game is the big one. The rivalry, and it being the first game of the tournament… I think we’ll all be buzzing for it.”
Afghanistan U19 captain Naseer Khan Maroof Khil: “Including me, all the boys are very enthusiastic and committed. No doubt, it is an outstanding learning platform to show our talent and skills to the world.
“As we got to the semi-finals last time, the boys are eager to get to the final this time and win the trophy for the country.”
Warm-up fixtures
Saturday 13 January
USA v Namibia, Tuks Oval, Pretoria
India v Australia, TUT Oval, Pretoria
South Africa v Pakistan, St Stithians, Johannesburg
Nepal v Scotland, Braamfischer Oval, Johannesburg
Sunday 14 January
Ireland v Zimbabwe, Tuks Oval, Pretoria
Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, TUT Oval, Pretoria
England v Afghanistan, St Stithians, Johannesburg
New Zealand v West Indies, Braamfischer Oval, Johannesburg
Tuesday 16 January
Namibia v Ireland, Tuks Oval, Pretoria
Zimbabwe v USA, TUT Oval, Pretoria
West Indies v Nepal, St Stithians, Johannesburg
South Africa v Afghanistan, Braamfischer Oval, Johannesburg
Wednesday 17 January
Sri Lanka v India, Tuks Oval, Pretoria
Australia v Bangladesh, TUT Oval, Pretoria
Scotland v New Zealand, St Stithians, Johannesburg
Pakistan v England, Braamfischer Oval, Johannesburg
Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Monday announced the West Indies Rising Stars Men’s Under 19s squad for the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup. The 15th edition of the tournament will be played in South Africa from 19 January to 11 February 2024.
Top-order batter Stephan Pascal has been named as Captain with Nathan Sealy, the slow bowling allrounder as Vice-Captain. The 15-member squad features most of the players who toured Sri Lanka for three Youth One-Day Internationals (50-over matches) and two four-day “Test” matches in August and September.
The squad includes three players who played in the 2022 ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup which was staged in the West Indies. They are: fast bowler Isai Thorne, left-handed allrounder Nathan Edward and left-handed batter Jordan Johnson.
Thorne made his first-class debut for the West Indies Academy against Emerging Ireland last month and impressed with his pace. He took 12 wickets in two matches at an average of 6.16 per wicket. Johnson joined the West Indies A Team on the recent tour of South Africa where he made his first-class debut in the third and final four-day “Test” match.
The squad has assembled in Antigua for a one-week camp at the Coolidge Cricket Ground. During the camp, they will have training and fitness sessions along with planning sessions and personal development workshops.
Lead Selector Robert Haynes said:
“We have named a balanced squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup and we expect them to do very well in this prestigious international event. We had a good tour of Sri Lanka in August and September where the players gained valuable experience. This helped to prepare them for the upcoming assignment. Since that tour, we also had a camp in Trinidad where we played against the USA Under-19 and the Trinidad & Tobago Under-23 teams. They will be match-fit and mentally fully prepared when they journey to South Africa.”
Haynes added:
“This is a fantastic opportunity for these young men to represent the West Indies and showcase their talent, playing against their peers, in front of a global audience. This is a crucial stage in their development. They have received excellent preparation, help, and guidance from the coaches and support staff, and we expect to see them do very well.”
For the tournament, the West Indies have been drawn alongside hosts South Africa, Scotland, and England in Group B for their first-round matches. All three matches will be played at the J.B. Marks Oval in Potchefstroom. Before that, they will have warm-up matches against New Zealand and Nepal in Johannesburg.
India, who won the tournament in 2022 and are placed in Group A with Bangladesh, Ireland and the USA. Group C features Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, while Group D is made up of Afghanistan, Pakistan, New Zealand and Nepal. The top three sides from each group will progress to the Super Six phase to be played from 30 January to 3 February. The Semi-Finals will be on 6 and 8 February and the Final is on 11 February at Willowmore Park in Benoni.
FULL SQUAD
Stephan Pascal (Captain) – right-handed bat
Nathan Sealy (Vice Captain) – right-handed bat/left-arm spin
Jewel Andrew – right-handed bat/wicket-keeper
Mavendra Dindyal – right-handed bat/right-arm leg-spin bowler
Joshua Dorne – right-handed bat
Nathan Edward – left-handed bat/left-arm fast bowler
Tarrique Edward – right-handed bat/right-arm off-spin bowler
Reon Edwards – left-handed bat/left-arm fast bowler
Deshawn James – right-handed bat/right-arm fast bowler
Jordan Johnson – left-handed bat
Devonie Joseph – left-handed bat/wicket-keeper
Raneico Smith – right-handed bat/right-arm fast bowler
Isai Thorne – right-handed bat/right-arm fast bowler
Steve Wedderburn – left-handed bat
Adrian Weir – right-handed bat
Team Management
Rohan Nurse (Head Coach)
Rohan Clarke (Assistant Coach)
Nick Wilton (Assistant Coach)
Dwain Gill (Team Manager)
Dominic Angoy (Physiotherapist)
Gregory Seale (Strength and Conditioning Coach)
MATCH SCHEDULE
Warm-up matches
Sunday, 14 January: vs New Zealand at Braamfischer Oval, Johannesburg
Tuesday, 16 January: vs Nepal at St Stithians, Johannesburg
First round – Group B
Friday, 19 January: vs South Africa at JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom
Wednesday, 24 January: vs Scotland at JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom
Friday, 26 January: vs England at JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom
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.
Two Plate competition matches at the ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup have been cancelled after nine Canada players tested positive for COVID-19, organizers revealed today. The players will now undertake a period of isolation where their welfare will be monitored by the event medical team.
As a consequence, the Canadian team has insufficient available players to be able to take any further part in the event. Canada’s plate play-off semi-final with Scotland on 29 January is cancelled and in accordance with the playing conditions, Scotland will progress to the 13th/14th play-off as a result of having a better net run rate than Canada from all matches played in the event.
The 15th/16th play-off that would have featured Canada against either Uganda or PNG will also not take place.
“We are incredibly disappointed to have to cancel two ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup games due to COVID-19 at this stage of the event,” said ICC Head of Events, Chris Tetley.
“We were expecting to see some positive cases throughout the event and to date, these have been managed in accordance with our bio-safety plan without impacting on fixtures. However, with so many players from the Canadian team testing positive it will not be possible to stage these games.
“The players are now self-isolating and will receive full support from the event medical team under the guidance of the Bio-Safety Advisory Group.”
The cancelled matches are as follows:
29 January - Canada v Scotland, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago
30 January - 15th/16 Play-Off, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago
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