The Indian cricket team started their ICC Under-19 World Cup 2022 campaign in grand style by beating South Africa thanks to contributions from Yash Dhull and Vicky Ostwal.
Follow Us
Yash Dhull, the captain of the India Under-19 Cricket Team led from the front with a gritty 82 in the first match of the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2022 against South Africa. Dhull’s effort was complimented by Vicky Ostwal’s 5/28 and Raj Bawa’s 4/47 as India defeated South Africa by 45 runs in Providence, Guyana on Saturday. It was not a comfortable win for India as the scoreboard would suggest, but South Africa would be ruing their collapse of seven wickets for 49 runs. On a pitch that was good for batting, India’s total seemed under-par but the bowlers stepped up to the occasion.
South Africa opted to bowl and India started badly, with Harnoor Singh being trapped for 0 by Aphiwe Mnyanda. India was dealt a further blow when Angriksh Raghuvanshi was also sent back cheaply by Mnyanda. It was at that time that Dhull stepped in and decided to lead from the front. The partnerships that he accumulated proved to be vital in India leading from the front.
Shaik Rasheed broke the shackles with a couple of fours off Matthew Boast. Mnyanda lost his line in the eighth over as he conceded eight wides in the over. Rasheed was dropped on 17 by Valintine Kitime off Andile Simelane and he made them pay. Yash Dhull grew in confidence with three boundaries in four overs. Both batsmen had gotten their eye in and they rotated the strike well. The partnership went past fifty and both looked good for a big score.
Read – India cricket team: The Masters of ICC Under-19 World Cup
But, Rasheed was trapped LBW by Liam Alder for 31. Nishant Sidhu arrived and the right-hander took the attack to the Proteas. He slammed five fours in quick time and raced to 27 off 24 balls. But, in the quest for aggression, he was stumped by Kaden Solomons off Mickey Copeland.
Dhull went past fifty but wickets tumbled at the other end. The skipper shared a vital partnership with Kaushal Tambe as India neared 200. But, in the 39th over, South Africa had a massive breakthrough as Dhull was run-out for a brilliant 82. Tambe though kept the fight going and he boosted India past 200. But, in the last few overs, India collapsed as they lost four wickets for just 11 runs. India finished on 232 all out in 46.5 overs and South Africa had the upper hand.
Like India, South Africa also started badly with Ethan John Cunningham being trapped LBW for 0 by Rajvardhan Hangargekar. Valentine Kitime and Dewald Brevis then steadied the ship. Brevis, who is nicknamed ‘Baby AB’ because he has the skill of AB de Villiers, showed glimpses of his class. Kitime and Brevis settled in and started finding the boundary on a regular basis.
In the ninth and 10th overs, South Africa cut loose. Kitime hit a four and six off Ravi Kumar and Brevis followed suit. He hit two fours off Raj Bawa and Kitime followed it up with his second six. But, Vicky Ostwal, the left-arm orthodox spinner struck in his first over when he removed Kitime for 25 as the 58-run stand was broken.
Brevis and GJ Maree tried to steady the ship but Ostwal removed Maree for 8. Brevis tried to break the shackles with a six but South Africa had managed to score only 43 runs in 16 overs. ‘Baby AB’ Brevis notched up his fifty with a six off Kaushal Tambe and he benefited from it when Rasheed dropped him next ball after reaching fifty.
GV Heerden gave Brevis good company as they notched up a fifty-run stand. But, in the 36th over, Bawa came back and dismissed Brevis for 65 with Dhull taking a good catch. That opened the floodgates as South Africa collapsed. Bawa followed up with the wicket of Simelane and when Ostwal took Copeland’s wicket, India was on top. The left-arm duo ran through the South Africa batting, with Ostwal taking his fourth wicket by dismissing Kaden Solomons. When Bawa took Heerden’s wicket, the game was up. Ostwal completed his five-wicket haul and Bawa took his fourth by dismissing Mnyanda.
India’s next match is against Ireland on January 19 at the Brian Lara stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad.
Rishabh Pant's explosive last-over blitz ignites IPL 2024 amid T20 World Cup comeback talks
