Heartbreak For SA U19s After India Semi-Final Loss

BENONI: South Africa’s ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 hopes ended in tears after they were edged out by India in a tense semi-final in which they went down by two wickets at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Tuesday.

In what was their first match away from what had become their fortress Potchefstroom, the junior Proteas managed to post 244 for seven after they lost the toss and were put in to bat first.

Lhuan-dre Pretorius top-scored with 76 off 102 balls (6 fours, 3 sixes) while Richard Seletswane hit 64 (100 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes), while there were also 20s by captain Juan James (24) and Oliver Whitehead (22).

The South Africans then made a storming start with the ball by reducing the visitors to 32 for four. However, a defining 171-run partnership between Sachin Dhas (96 off 95 balls, 11 fours, 1 six) and skipper Uday Saharan (81 off 124 balls, 6 fours) took the game away from Malibongwe Maketa’s side and India eventually crossed the line with seven balls to spare.

It was a heartbreaking loss for the home side in a tournament in which they showed so much of promise – the bowling in the end by star men Kwena Maphaka (3/32) and Tristan Luus (3/37) typifying the fight they have shown in the competition.

Although they may not have been at their best with the bat, they still managed to post a competitive total thanks in the main to in-form Pretorius and Seletswane’s top score of the competition. Raj Limbani (3/60) and Musheer Khan (2/43) were the main wicket-takers for the Indians.

In reply, Luus did all the damage as he got rid of Musheer (4), Arshin Kulkarni (12) and Priyanshu Moliya (5) after Maphaka – one of the biggest stars of the tournament – had Adarsh Singh (0) for a first ball duck.

It was tough from there, though, as the Dhas-Saharan fifth-wicket stand sapped all the energy out of the South Africans.

They did road back at the end after Maphaka landed another double, but by then it was too late as India held on.

SA U19 Men’s Squad – ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024

Juan James (captain, Western Province), Raeeq Daniels (Western Province), Tristan Luus (Dolphins), Kwena Maphaka (Lions), Dewan Marias (Easterns), Nqobani Mokoena (Dolphins), Riley Norton (Boland), Romashan Pillay (Dolphins), Sipho Potsane (Lions), Lhuan-dre Pretorius (Titans), Richard Seletswane (Lions), Steve Stolk (Titans), David Teeger (Lions), Oliver Whitehead (Western Province) and Ntando Zuma (KwaZulu-Natal Inland).

SA U19 Itinerary

Group Stage matches

Friday, 19 January – 10:00

South Africa U19 beat West Indies U19 by 31 runs – JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom

Tuesday, 23 January – 10:00

South Africa U19 lost to England U19 by 36 runs (DLS Method) – JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom

Saturday, 27 January – 10:00

South Africa U19 beat Scotland U19 by 7 wickets – JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom

Super Six Stage matches

Wednesday, 31 January – 10:00

South Africa U19 beat Zimbabwe U19 by 9 wickets – JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom

Friday, 02 February – 10:00

South Africa U19 beat Sri Lanka U19 by 119 runs – JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom

Semi-Final

Tuesday, 06 February – 10:00

South Africa U19 lost to India U19 by 2 wickets – Willowmoore Park, Benoni

ENDS

Issued by: Cricket South Africa – Corporate Communications

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