The U19 World Cup 2024 delivered a thrilling spectacle on Wednesday (January 24), featuring three captivating fixtures that highlighted the raw talent and fierce competitiveness of young cricketers globally. In a day brimming with intense clashes, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Pakistan secured victories in their group matches against Scotland, Namibia and Nepal respectively, setting the stage for an enthralling tournament ahead

Scotland vs West Indies (Group B):

Scotland sets a competitive target: Jamie Dunk delivers

In a match, Scotland took the crease first, posting a formidable 205/9 within their allocated 50 overs. The highlight of their innings was Jamie Dunk‘s stellar performance, crafting a crucial innings of 57 runs off 87 deliveries. Aided by the contributions of Adi Hegde (32) and Alec Price (31), Scotland set a challenging target for their opponents. For West Indies, Isai Thorne led the charge and impressively secured a four-wicket haul, crucially breaking through Scotland’s batting lineup.

West Indies clinch victory with style: Jewel Andrew’s heroics lead the way

In a thrilling pursuit, West Indies team showcased their batting prowess, successfully chasing down the target set by Scotland. Their innings culminated at 206/5 in just 35.1 overs, marking a splendid victory. The standout performer for West Indies was Jewel Andrew, who delivered a stellar performance with a knock of 64 runs off 60 deliveries, steering the team towards triumph.

Despite the commendable efforts of Scotland’s Ruaridh McIntyre, Qasim Khan, Logan Briggs, Adi Hegde and Ibrahim Faisal, each claiming a wicket, they couldn’t thwart West Indies from reaching the set target. With this convincing performance, West Indies emerged victorious, securing the win by 5 wickets. This was an emphatic win for the side after losing their tournament opener against South Africa.

WI take the 1st win by 5 wickets against Scotland U19.#WIU19 #U19WorldCup pic.twitter.com/JY0LiKT7G3

— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) January 24, 2024

Also READ: U19 World Cup 2024: Complete fixtures and full squads of all 16 teams

Sri Lanka vs Namibia (Group C):

Supun Waduge shines for Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka posted a modest 133 runs for the loss of 10 wickets in 37.5 overs. Supun Waduge emerged as the standout performer, contributing a crucial knock of 56 runs off 79 deliveries, featuring six boundaries. Besides Waduge, only Sineth Jayawardene (10) and Rusanda Gamage (17) managed to reach double digits. The Namibian bowlers, led by Zacheo van Vuuren‘s impactful four-wicket haul (4/23), presented a noteworthy challenge. Hansie de Villiers and Jack Brassell also made valuable contributions, picking three and one wickets, respectively.

Namibia struggles as Sri Lanka’s bowling dominance prevails

Facing a modest target of 134 runs, Namibia Under-19s found themselves struggling against Sri Lanka’s formidable bowling attack. The Namibian innings concluded at a mere 56 runs, with all wickets falling in 27 overs. Hanro Badenhorst top-scored for Namibia with 11 runs off 32 deliveries, showcasing determination amidst the wickets falling around him. Peter-Daniel Blignaut added 18 runs from 15 balls, displaying resilience in the face of mounting pressure. Sri Lanka’s bowlers exhibited dominance, with Vishva Lahiru leading the attack with an impressive 3 wickets for 19 runs in his 7 overs. Ruvishan Perera and Dinura Kalupahana also made substantial contributions, grabbing three and two wickets, respectively.

Our #YoungLions restricted Namibia to a mere 55 runs in the 2nd #U19WorldCup match, securing a dominant 77-run victory. 

Well done, boys! Keep the winning streak alive. 👊 pic.twitter.com/Uhdd3le3kj

— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) January 24, 2024

Nepal vs Pakistan (Group D):

Nepal’s batting struggle

In a challenging encounter, Nepal faced an uphill task, posting 197 runs for the loss of 10 wickets in their allocated 50 overs. Bipin Rawal‘s resilient innings of 39 and Deepak Dumre‘s valuable contribution of 26 took the team to a fighting score. On the other hand, Pakistan’s bowling unit, spearheaded by Arafat Minhas, showcased remarkable control over the proceedings with a commendable three-wicket haul. Ubaid Shah, Khubaib Khalil, Ahmad Hassan and Mohammad Zeeshan also played pivotal roles, picking crucial wickets to curtail Nepal’s batting efforts.

Azan Awais leads charge in convincing victory for Pakistan

In a determined pursuit of victory, Pakistan Under-19s exhibited resilience, successfully chasing down Nepal’s target to reach 201/5 in 47.4 overs. Azan Awais emerged as a standout performer, playing a pivotal role with a commanding innings of 63 runs off 82 deliveries. The opening pair of Shamyl Hussain and Shahzaib Khan-l contributed significantly, adding 37 runs each to the team’s total.

Despite Aakash Chand‘s noteworthy effort, securing a three-wicket haul in his 9 overs for Nepal, Pakistan’s middle order, led by Ahmad Hassan (29), ensured a convincing victory by five wickets. Dipesh Kandel and Arafat also played crucial roles, steering Pakistan to a triumphant conclusion in a match characterized by determined batting and disciplined bowling.

Pakistan overcame Nepal’s fight to register their second successive win in the #U19WorldCup 💪#NEPvPAK pic.twitter.com/AI0R6Wfc4S

— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) January 24, 2024

Also READ – U19 World Cup 2024: Broadcast, Live Streaming details – When and where to watch in India, Australia, US, UK & other countries

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