U-19 World Cup 2024: Australia rode on Hugh Weibgen's brilliant century and Callum Vidler's magical spell to bulldoze England by 110 runs in their Super 6 match in the ongoing Under-19 World Cup 2024 on Wednesday, January 31. In other matches, South Africa thrash Zimbabwe by nine wickets, Bangladesh defeated Nepal by five wickets while, in the 16th place match Afghanistan got the better of USA.
Australia Secures 110-Run Victory (DLS Method)
Harry Dixon and Hugh Weibgen's 105-run partnership laid a solid foundation for Australia's innings in their Under-19 World Cup match against England. The game then saw a contest between Australia's middle order and England's spinners, spearheaded by Theo Wylie. Weibgen's century, complemented by brief but impactful innings from Ollie Peake (25* off 28) and Raf MacMillan (19* off 10), helped Australia end on a high note.
England, opting for an aggressive start in their reply, quickly found themselves in trouble. Callum Vidler's precise bowling claimed four English wickets in his first five overs. Play was soon halted by lightning, followed by a prolonged rain delay.
Post-resumption, England faced a revised target of 215 runs. Challenged by the steep target, England's batting lineup collapsed, losing wickets rapidly and ultimately getting all out for 104.
South Africa Defeats Zimbabwe by Nine Wickets
In other Under-19 World Cup match between Proteas and Zimbabwe, South Africa effortlessly chased down a modest target with a whopping 219 balls remaining, significantly boosting their net run rate on the points table.
The South African young pacers, especially Kwena Maphaka, were spot-on in their bowling. Maphaka devastated Zimbabwe's top order in his initial spell. The middle overs featured Tristan Luus and Riley Norton, who shifted the scoreboard from 69/4 to 69/7. Maphaka later returned to dismantle the tail-end, achieving his second five-for of the tournament. Ronak Patel (32) and Ryan Kamwemba (24) stood out as Zimbabwe's key scorers.
South Africa's openers began their innings with their usual aggressive approach. Scoring 86 in the first Powerplay, they quickly dashed any hopes of a Zimbabwean resurgence. Despite losing Steve Stolk, Lhuan-dre Pretorius (53* off 39) steered the team to victory in the 14th over.
Bangladesh Earn Five-Wicket Win over Nepal
Bangladesh took control of the game after being put into the field. Nepal, showing promise, struggled to keep pace with the Tigers.
Facing Bangladesh's skilled bowling, the Rhinos had a challenging time. The Bangladesh pacers made an impact with three wickets in the initial Powerplay, followed by the spinners weaving a trap around the Nepal batsmen during the middle overs. This strategic play kept Nepal's scoring rate moderate and led to regular wickets.
Mohammad Borson and Sheikh Jibon collectively claimed seven wickets, setting a target of 170 for Bangladesh.
Jishan Alam's aggressive half-century spearheaded Bangladesh's chase, aiming for a significant net run rate boost by concluding the chase swiftly. However, Subash Bhandari's three-wicket haul during the start of the second Powerplay slowed down the Tigers.
Ariful Islam's forceful fifty helped Bangladesh reach the target, despite Subash adding two more wickets to his tally, ending with five in total. Borson was named Player of the Match for his impressive 4/19 performance.
Afghanistan Triumphs Over USA in 13-16th Place Playoff with a Three-Wicket Win
Afghanistan lived up to their captain's decision to field first, delivering a strong performance with the ball. The USA, however, responded well in their second innings.
Afghanistan's excellent bowling effort kept the USA's batting in check. Except for Prannav Chettipalayam (33) and Utkarsh Srivastava (30), the North American team lacked significant contributions from other batters. Bowlers Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar (3/30), Naseer Khan Maroofkhil (2/19), and Faridoon Dawoodzai (2/30) were instrumental in dismissing the USA by the 49th over.
Consistent with the tournament's pattern, Afghanistan's batting start was shaky, losing four wickets before crossing the 50-run mark. Captain Naseer Khan Maroofkhil (39) anchored the innings, but his dismissal at a pivotal moment balanced the match. Rahimullah Zurmati's steadfast 37* ensured Afghanistan successfully chased down the target in a nail-biting finish that lasted until the final over.
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