Live score for India vs South Africa in the U19 World Cup semi-final 2024: IND lost a wicket in the fourth over and one off the opening ball of the innings.
Live score of India vs South Africa, U19 World Cup semi-final 2024: After opener Lhuan-dre Pretorius gave South Africa the upper hand for a short while, spinners Musheer Khan, Murugan Abhishek, and Priyanshu Moliya came in and strangled them in the middle overs. India never let up and kept the pressure on the hosts throughout their innings, making history as the first team in the tournament to score more than 170 in India. South Africa was eventually restricted to a score of 244/7 in 50 overs.
The boys in blue are hot favorites to defeat hosts South Africa and carry on their quest for a sixth title because they have not only won every game they have played but also blown out opponents, winning three of the games by over 200 runs. Defending champions India have advanced to the semifinals on the strength of five straight victories in the tournament, with their exciting talent putting up a fine all-around show to ensure their dominance.
It will be difficult to identify a single factor driving India’s dominance in all departments, especially in the last few games. While the bowlers have produced victories with margins greater than 130 runs, the batsmen have buried their opponents beneath a mountain of runs. In addition to their winning run, India’s recent victory over South Africa also positions them as favorites to advance to the final, where a blockbuster India-Pakistan match may take place.
Australia will play Pakistan in the second semifinal at Willowmoore Park. India, who headed by Saharan Ahmed, will be buoyed by their victory against South Africa in two straight ODIs of the Tri Nation Series while chasing, which happened prior to their World Cup campaign.
But there is a different kind of pressure in the knockout stages, and the first semifinal may feature a match between South Africa’s Kwena Maphaka, who is on a roll and has taken three five-wicket hauls in five games. Maphaka, a left-arm pacer, has not only topped the charts among bowlers with eighteen scalps, but he has also single-handedly set up South Africa’s comfortable wins in the last two games against Sri Lanka.
Now that he is in full attack mode, Sachin Dhas is leading the Men in Blue’s comeback. The pair’s partnership reached 60 runs in the 22nd over. Stolk bowls a wide after giving up 11 runs, then finds Sachin again, this time finding the fielder. After 23 overs, INDU19 is 94/4; India U19 need 151 runs.
Steve Stolk is welcomed by Sachin Dhas with an off-drive, no runs taken. FOUR! Another fantastic shot from Sachin, who is picking up pace. The India pair is getting close to a 50-run partnership. Prior to the semi-finals, Stolk had not bowled an over for South Africa during the World Cup. He bowls a no-ball and then double bluffs. The bowler and batter show respect for each other as South Africa reloads. Missed it! Stolk gets lucky, no runs taken. INDU19 79/4 after 21 overs.
India are battling back! INDU19 73/4 after 20 overs. Captain Uday Saharan is supporting the on-song batsman Sachin Dhas, who has hit five fours in his vital effort. Dhas is batting on 24 off 22 balls.
That is crunched for four! Sachin produces a magnificent drive, pitched up, and he gets involved. FOUR! Back-to-back fours for the first time in the Indian innings. Sachin aced both the on-drive and the cover drive in the same over, both bowled by Riley Norton. FOUR! Make that THREE! Sachin is in form. INDU19 70/4 after 19 overs.
INDU19 56/4 after 18 overs. Nqobani Mokoena scores another boundary, another nice one from the captain of India. Uday Saharan played it brilliantly and is settling in.
India need 196 runs from 32 overs, but Sachin Dhas pulls it for four! Riley Norton finally responds strongly. The Indian hitter reaches his maiden boundary in the 16th over. IND 49/4 in 17 overs.
Drinks are on! INDU19 41-4 after 15 overs. India U19 needs 204 runs to overcome Proteas and advance to the ICC event final. Saharan will be crucial for India as he bats 6 off 28 balls. Riley Norton keeps things tight for the Men in Blue. He leaks only 1 run in his second over.
Though India bats deep, the Asian giants can yet mount a comeback; Saharan and Sachin Dhas have added 8 runs in 20 balls so far. Youngster Uday Saharan is tasked with saving India after a top-order collapse in the U-19 World Cup semi-final.
After Riley Norton bowled a fantastic opening over for just four runs, INDU19 was 37-4 after 13 overs. India U19 needed 208 runs. Sachin Dhas got a leading edge and was rewarded with a boundary. It was a moral triumph for the bowler.
Priyanshu Moliya leaves the field after conceding a leading edge on a costly drive. Lhuan-dre Pretorius made a brilliant catch, causing India to lose their fourth wicket. India needs 212 runs to win.
Moliya pulls the first ball of Luus’s 12th over the boundary, making it a welcome four for India.
Luus takes his second wicket! India has had a nightmare powerplay. Back of a length outside off, Kulkarni tries to drive on the rise, it takes the edge and flies to second slip.
It is a hard grind for Kulkarni and Saharan right now, with Kulkarni on nine off 22 and Sharan on three off 13. South Africa alternates between Luus and Maphaka, and neither player is giving anything away.
Arshin Kulkarni is under intense pressure right now. After Maphaka’s fourth ball of the seventh is pulled away over long leg for six, he has a lot to say to Kulkarni. The fast bowler follows with two dot balls and then a barrage of words to the batter. Kulkarni smiles back, looking a little taken aback by Maphaka’s animated gestures. Box office stuff.
Even though the chase is still early, this is the first time India has been pushed this far in the tournament. The fourth over is a wicket maiden, and captain Saharan and Arshin Kulkarni are out there with no runs scored by either player.
Superb delivery, excellent catch, and the South Africans are on a roll! Luus’s blistering pace and bounce constrain Musheer before he can draw away, ricocheting off his partially raised bat and James making a wonderful grab at first slip.
With three runs off the over coming from wides, Kwena Maphaka is undoubtedly another fast bowling jewel for South Africa.
Unbelievable start from the pacer, starting with an absolute behemoth of a ball from Maphaka to Adarsh Singh. Pace and bounce flying into Adarsh’s face, the batter tries to defend, but it ends up clipping his hands and goes to the wicketkeeper.
The fierce Kwena Maphaka will spearhead South Africa’s attack when the Indian openers take the field. India needs to win by 245 runs.
Following the South African innings, Abhinav Mukund provides an update on the pitch, stating that it is extremely dry and that the Indian team’s deliveries have left a few marks; they merely need to be concerned about bounce. Mukund further states that India will play a slow game and attempt to go as deep as they can.
I told myself to be patient, they would throw me a terrible ball. I think we have a really good score, it is hard to bat on this track. It was very challenging. I wanted to stay to the end, take it deep,” he said.