Sri Lanka, West Indies and Pakistan secure wins on the sixth day of U19 CWC 2024
Sri Lanka, West Indies and Pakistan won their respective encounters over Namibia, Scotland, and Nepal in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup.
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Three low-scoring encounters panned out on the sixth day of the U19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2024.
After being bowled out for merely 133, Sri Lanka struck back with the ball to secure an easy win in Kimberley.
Scotland had their moments in Potchefstroom but Jewel Andrew clicked again for the West Indies to help them open their account in the competition.
Pakistan dominated the important moments in East London to come out victorious against Nepal.
Sri Lanka beat Namibia by 77 runs.
Sri Lanka defeated Namibia by 77 runs in Kimberley
Toss: Namibia won the toss and elected to field
Namibia were rattled by Sri Lanka in their modest chase of 134.
The Eagles kept Sri Lanka in check with their tight lines and ensured that the run rate crept at less than two runs per over in the first seven overs. Under pressure, Pulindu Perera tried to steal a quick single and was run out by a brilliant teamwork from Peter-Daniel Blignaut, who ran in from point to throw the ball at the non-striker's end, and Junior Kariata, who managed to break the stumps despite being awkwardly placed.
A feisty 56* by Supun Waduge.
The Island nation were then rocked by Zacheo van Vuuren, who took two wickets in his first two overs. Sineth Jayawardena's minimal foot movement meant that he was unable to cover one that came in, while Ravishan de Silva was brilliantly held by JW Visagie after he nicked one to the keeper's right.
Rusanda Gamage tried to add intent with a couple of boundaries, but eventually fell for 17 while trying to lift van Vuuren over third. The pacer had his fourth when he got the important wicket of Dinura Kalupahana. Sri Lanka's talented all-rounder chipped one to covers at the end of the 20th over.
Namibia's bowling attack stuck to attacking lines and kept picking wickets after the 20-over mark. Hansie de Villiers struck thrice with his off-spin and helped the African side run through the tail. Only Supun Waduge stood out with his 56*.
Sri Lanka struck early in response. Garuka Sanketh bowled Gerhard Janse van Rensburg (0) with a peach when Namibia were yet to open their account. Hansie de Villiers and JW Visagie batted watchfully against the skilful Sri Lanka bowlers.
A freak run-out in the eighth over started a slide that swayed the game in Sri Lanka's favour. It all began with JW Visagie trying to get past the covers against Sanketh. The ball was intercepted by Perera, and thrown back to the bowler's end. Visagie was yet to make his ground, when it hit Sanketh's hand and ricocheted off to the stumps. A procession of wickets followed, as Namibia slipped from 15/1 to 21/6 in 38 balls. Kalupahana and Vishwa Lahiru shared two wickets each in this period.
Namibia lost two more before the 20th over mark to Ruvishan Perera. An 18-run stand for the ninth wicket, helped ensure that Namibia wouldn't fall to the second-lowest total in the tournament's history. However, Namibia's loss was merely a formality after Ruvishan struck for the third time to account for Hanro Badenhorst (11).
The African side were bowled out for 56, their second-lowest total in U19 World Cup history.
West Indies defeated Scotland by five wickets in Potchefstroom
Another Jewel Andrew special was on display in Potchefstroom.
Toss: West Indies won the toss and elected to field
Jamie Dunk and Adi Hegde put up 89 for the first wicket to get Scotland off to a good start, hitting nine fours in their stand, and keeping their scoring rate at around four runs per over.
This solid start was eventually broken by Nathan Sealy when he had Hegde trapped lbw in the 22nd over. Though Dunk (57) managed another good stand with Alec Price, and reached his fifty in the process, West Indies struck back towards the end of the second Powerplay.
Isai Thorne got Price (31), Owen Gould (5), and Uzair Ahmad (7) in the space of three overs to tilt the game West Indies' way.
Bahadar Esakhiel (19) and Ruaridh McIntyre (17) ensured that Scotland just crossed the 200-run mark, but the European side would've lamented that their middle-order wasn't able to build upon a solid start.
Yet another brilliant effort from Jewel Andrew
West Indies lost three wickets early in their chase. After adding a quick 22 for the first wicket, Adrian Weir (7) fell while trying to send McIntyre past covers. Stephan Pascal went ahead at run-a-ball, before falling while trying to dispatch Logan Briggs out of the ground at 26.
A loose shot from Joshua Dorne off Ibrahim Faisal brought about his demise, with the team score at 45. Mavendra Dindyal and Jordan Johnson, however, kept going for their shots, and ensured that West Indies went at over six runs an over.
Just as he was looking set for a big score, Dindyal was cleaned up when he tried to cut a delivery from Hegde. Qasim Khan then struck in the 17th over to send Johnson back for 24, and put Scotland ahead.
It was Jewel Andrew to the rescue again. The batter, who had scored a sizzling ton against South Africa, took on Scotland bowlers and brought his side significantly closer to their ask.
His better-than-run-a-ball fifty in a 91-run stand with Nathan Edward helped West Indies open their account in the U19 World Cup.
Pakistan defeated Nepal by five wickets in East London
Toss*:* Nepal won the toss and elected to bat first
Nepal's confident start fell apart after Pakistan bowlers took control in the middle overs.
Nepal scored at a brisk pace in the first Powerplay. Despite losing Arjun Kumal and Aakash Tripathi, they added 55 to the score. However, the economical Ali Asfand got rid of the Nepal skipper Dev Khanal for 23.
Arafat Minhas then accounted for Uttam Magar and the set Bipin Rawal between overs 21-30 to put Pakistan in command. When Khubaib Khalil had the experienced Gulshan Jha caught for 18, the Boys in Green had entered the tail.
Azan Awais's fighting 63* helped Pakistan to a win
Just like the previous game, the Nepal tail stood up when it mattered. Cameos from Subash Bhandari and Aakash Chand helped the Rhinos finish close to 200.
Pakistan openers preferred safety over style in the first Powerplay. Only 33 runs came off the first Powerplay, with three boundaries between Shahzaib Khan and Shamyl Hussain. There was only a marginal increase in the scoring rate between overs 11-20, as the duo added 42 runs.
Aakash Chand struck back for Nepal, taking out the openers in the same over with his short ball tactic. Both Shahzaib and Shamyl tried to take on Chand and ended up getting caught on the leg-side.
The incoming batters lost their wickets due to impatience, trying to dispatch the Nepal medium pacers into the stand. The loss of Arafat Minhas (8) and Saad Baig (0) significantly brought down the scoring rate.
Pakistan were in dire need of a rescuing act, and they got the same with a fifth-wicket stand between Azan Awais and Ahmad Hassan. The duo went about their job patiently, adding runs at a modest pace, while keeping their wickets intact. Their 64-run stand put Pakistan on the brink of a win. The Men in Green eventually crossed the line in the 48th over.