The under-19 Indian team had a remarkable day, securing a narrow victory against South Africa to advance to the under-19 World Cup finals. Captain Uday Saharan's 81 runs were crucial in steering the team towards victory, before he was run out with the scores level at Willowmore Park. Raj Limbani's four off the next ball sealed the win.
Saharan and Sachin Dhas (96) rescued India from a perilous 32 for four in response to South Africa’s 244 for seven, adding 171 runs for the fifth wicket. In a post-match interview, Saharan said he did not think about his team’s precarious situation when he and Dhas came together. “I knew it was one partnership away and we needed to take the game deep,” he said. This victory marked the second consecutive match in which Saharan and Dhas formed a significant partnership, both scoring centuries and contributing 215 runs for the fourth wicket against Nepal.
South Africa’s Kwena Maphaka and Tristan Luus posed a challenge, but their efforts were not enough as India secured the win, despite facing their first real test in the tournament.
India's upcoming final match against the winner of the second semi-final between Pakistan and Australia promises to be an exciting event at Willowmoore Park on Sunday.
