In a nail-biting semi-final clash at Willowmoore Park, Benoni, Australia U19 emerged victorious by the slimmest of margins, edging out Pakistan U19 in a tense encounter to secure their spot in the ICC U19 World Cup final against India U19. Tom Straker’s exceptional bowling performance, coupled with Harry Dixon and Oliver Peake’s crucial contributions with the bat, proved pivotal in Australia’s thrilling win.
Put into bat first, Pakistan U19 found themselves in early trouble as they lost wickets at regular intervals. Despite the top-order collapse, Azan Awais and Arafat Minhas led the fightback with determined half-centuries. Their partnership helped Pakistan recover from a precarious position, but Straker’s relentless spell turned the tide in Australia’s favor. His remarkable figures of 6 for 24 restricted Pakistan to a total of 179 runs in 48.5 overs.
In response, Australia U19 faced a challenging chase as Pakistan’s bowlers struck early to dent their top order. However, resilient batting from Dixon and Peake stabilized the innings, steering Australia back into contention. Despite losing wickets at crucial junctures, Australia kept their nerve in the face of mounting pressure. Ali Raza’s four-wicket haul posed a threat, but MacMillan’s composed innings ensured Australia crossed the finish line with just one wicket in hand.
Tom Straker’s outstanding performance earned him the Player of the Match award for his pivotal role in dismantling Pakistan’s batting lineup and setting the stage for Australia’s hard-fought victory.
With this win, Australia U19 advanced to the final of the ICC U19 World Cup, where they will face India U19 in what promises to be an enthralling showdown between two formidable teams.
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