Published: Feb 07, 2024, 10:07 AM (IST)
Edited: Feb 07, 2024, 10:08 AM (IST)
It was a typical sight on the Benoni cricket pitch on Tuesday. Indian players dash onto the pitch after punching their ticket to yet another ICC U19 World Cup final – a record-extending fifth consecutive time and ninth overall – leaving South African cricketers devastated, with several unable to fight back tears. After a duel of 98.5 overs that swung from one end to the other, Raj Limbani’s booming cover drive ended the match, sparking wild jubilation in the Indian camp and signalling disaster for the hosts.
As soon as the ball left Limbani’s bat and sliced over the cover and mid-off fielders, the Indian cricketers crowded around the boundary rope. Captain Uday Saharan blocked the others with his raised arms. Waiting a few seconds for the ball to cross the boundary line felt like an eternity. But when it did, they stormed in, lead by Saharan, who yelled his lungs out. Who would have thought he was yelling at the man who scored the winning runs a delivery earlier for running him out?
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The South African camp had quite opposite scenes. Tristan Luus and Nqobani Mokoena were lying down. Several others were in tears. Kwena Maphaka, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, was spotted making desperate attempts to console his colleagues. Watching a South African cricket team collapse in a knockout match, regardless of age group, is unsettling but not unusual.
Minutes afterward, Saharan was spotted shaking hands and hugging his South African colleague, Juan James. It was an era-defining semi-final.
After setting a goal of 245, South Africa began impressively, thanks to Maphaka’s breakthrough on the opening ball of the innings. Adarsh Singh was helpless against a sharp bouncer, awkwardly nudging it towards the keeper.
The short ball proved to be India’s undoing once more, as Tristan Luus’ accurately-directed bouncer outwitted the dangerous Musheer Khan, triggering wild celebrations in the South African side after the departure of the tournament’s highest run-scorer.
India had to be patient, waiting until the seventh over to get their first boundary, a maximum from Arshin Kulkarni off Maphaka. Unfortunately, India’s lone moment of delight was fleeting, as their troubles worsened, with Arshin succumbing to Luus in the Powerplay’s last over.
India’s plight worse when Moliya, who had scored a boundary off the opening ball of Luus’ over, fell while attempting a wayward drive.
A record hold for 32/4
Faced with a tough scenario at 32/4, captain Saharan and Sachin Dhas worked together to engineer an incredible rescue mission. With runs drying up, the pair used caution and aggression to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Dhas, specifically targeting Riley Norton’s bowling, demonstrated his brilliance by hitting three boundaries in a single over, regaining control for India. While Saharan defended at one end, Dhas took the initiative, scoring a half-century off 47 balls to keep the necessary run rate under 6.
And on the other half,
Maphaka bowled the 47th over and made a significant difference with the last ball of the spell, removing Avanish, with Norton collecting a brilliant catch in the deep. Two balls later, the situation changed again when Abhishek Murugan was caught short of his crease by a powerful hit from Marais.
The two wickets put the pressure back on India, but a six from an unlikely source – Raj Limbani – changed the equation, reducing the target to nine runs off the last two overs.
Saharan ended any dreams of a South African comeback with a four off the first ball of the penultimate over. In another twist in the game, Saharan was run out.Limbani, on the other hand, came in clutch and hit a four off the final ball of the over to extend their unbeaten streak and secure a spot in the finals.
