It is not always about fours and sixes. Low-scoring encounters can go right down to the wire. In East London, New Zealand and Afghanistan were involved in a record-breaking low-scoring Under-19 World Cup 2024 clash. When Afghanistan were bowled out for 91, it looked like New Zealand would register an easy win but Afghan spinners turned the game on its head. New Zealand got over the line as their tailender Matt Rowe held his nerves after taking a five-wicket haul guiding them to a one-wicket win. This is the first-ever one-wicket win in Under-19 World Cup history while chasing a target below 100.
Earlier, Afghanistan skipper Naseer Khan Maroofkhil won the toss and opted to bat first. Ryan Tsourgas drew first blood after getting hit for a boundary in the first over. Hassan Eisakhil was the first to depart. Tsourgas in his second over got rid of Khalid Taniwal as well. Afghan opener Jamshid Zadran hit a few boundaries as he tried to rebuild the innings with Sohail Khan Zurmati. In the eighth over, Rowe broke the partnership with the wicket of Zurmati. In his next over, he got the wicket of Zadran and Rahimullah Zurmati as well. Jamshid scored 22 runs from 32 balls. Afghanistan lost half their side for 52 in the 10th over.
Rowe continued to strike with the new ball. He completed his fifer with the wickets of wicketkeeper-batter Numan Shah and skipper Maroofkhil in consecutive overs. Arab Gul Momand remained unbeaten for 10 as the tailenders fell cheaply. Afghanistan were bowled out for 91 in 21.3 overs.
New Zealand's run chase got off to a horrible start. Allah Ghazanfar did not let three batters -- Luke Watson, Tom Jones, and Oliver Tewatiya -- open their account. Khalil Ahmed joined in and got the wicket of Robbie Foulkes. Skipper Oscar Jackson tried to get the run chase back on track. In the ninth over, Lachlan Stackpole departed after hitting three boundaries. Khalil got his wicket as New Zealand found themselves struggling at 42/5.
Zac Cumming and wicketkeeper-batter Sam Clode tried to soak in the pressure and played plenty of dot balls as there was no scoreboard pressure. But they departed for a single-digit score. New Zealand found themselves in deep trouble when Jackson got bowled by Momand. New Zealand still needed 10 runs to win. The run out of Ewald Schreuder at the non-striker's end added more pressure in the run chase. In the 29th over, Rowe hit the ball into the gap and took New Zealand over the line with a couple of runs.
This is New Zealand's second win at the group stage. They are currently on the top of Group D. On the other hand, Afghanistan have suffered two defeats already and are unlikely to advance to the Super Six stage.
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