5 non-India players to watch out for in Under-19 World Cup 2024 ft. Sam Konstas
Often regarded as the gateway to senior-level international cricket, the 15th edition of the ICC Under-19 World Cup is all set to kick off on January 19, and like every previous edition, several talented players will be aiming to be at their best, intending to make it to the senior national teams of their respective countries.
Over the years, the U19 World Cup has seen the emergence of several young stars who have taken the international cricket arena by storm. The exposure to playing a global event at such a tender age has made sure that these young lads go on to have successful senior international careers.
While India's senior team has failed to lift an ICC trophy since the 2013 Champions Trophy, India at the U-19 level has been nothing short of phenomenal. They have won two of the last three U-19 World Cups and have been by far the most consistent side in the competition's history, having clinched the title a record five times.
While several young Indian players are expected to make a mark in the competition, some of the players from other nations have also made people turn their heads and notice their performances.
With the tournament slated to be played in the Rainbow Nation, let us look at five non-Indian players who could make an impact in the upcoming World Cup.
# 5. Ashiqur Rahaman Shibli (Bangladesh)
The young Bangladesh opener announced his arrival in style during the ACC U19 Asia Cup, finishing as the leading run-getter by a distance. He scored 378 runs, including two fifties and as many centuries, as Bangladesh went on to lift the title.
He scored a brilliant 129 against UAE in the final and looked comfortable against both pace and swing. Earlier in the tournament, Ashiqur smashed an unbeaten 116 against Sri Lanka which included some exquisite shots. Ashiqur looks like a very compact batter with sound technique both against the moving ball and against quality spin.
He can also improvise and has a wide range of shots through the square of the wicket. Ashiqur will have to provide some good starts in the World Cup if Bangladesh harbors hopes of replicating their heroics from 2020.
# 4. Sam Konstas (Australia)
Sam Konstas is one of the promising young stars to have emerged from New South Wales in the past couple of years. He has a lot of admirers already in his brief competitive career and one among them is former spinner and current commentator Kerry O'Keeffe. The 18-year-old recently earned the call up to the senior New South Wales team on the first class circuit.
Konstas has been a prolific run scorer at youth level and was even tipped by Kerry O'Keeffe to take up the opener's slot in Tests following the retirement of Warner.
An exquisite driver of the ball, Konstas doesn't have a particular chink in his armor but playing more senior-level cricket will bring the best out of him. He will look to take this opportunity and perform consistently at the Under-19 World Cup.
# 3. Luk Benkenstein (England)
Following in the footsteps of his father Dale Benkenstein, Luk Benkenstein is a leg-spinning all-rounder who hogged the limelight after bagging six wickets during a List A game against Glamorgan. The Sussex leggie has already played 11 List A games, bagging 11 wickets in the process at an impressive average of 17.90.
Luk Benkenstein could be the future for England once Adil Rashid calls it quits on the white ball game. Though he might not be a big turner of the ball, Benkenstein is very accurate and could be among the players to watch out for in the U-19 World Cup.
He is also a fine lower middle-order batter and scored four fifty-plus scores in the national youth tournament in South Africa. He also bagged seven wickets and was adjudged Player of the Tournament. It was his consistent showing in the tournament that landed him a deal with Essex.
# 2. Kwena Maphaka (South Africa)
The left-fast bowling sensation is all set to play in his second U-19 World Cup and has already made a mark for himself on the South African domestic circuit. He has also landed a deal with the Paarl Royals in the SA20 league. He is fast and fiery and can consistently hit 140kmph.
Besides his raw pace, Maphaka has the skills to move the ball both ways. He has already played a red ball game for South Africa A in Sri Lanka, bagging three crucial wickets. Given his pace and ability to hit the deck hard, Maphaka could cause a few problems at the U-19 World Cup.
# 1. Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar (Afghanistan)
Afghanistan is a country known for producing top-quality spinners and Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar is one of the many young spinners trying to make a mark at the competitive level. Those who are aware of his skills consider him to be from the same mold as Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Just like Mujeeb, he has various tricks up his sleeve and tends to flick the ball out of his finger. He has got a brilliant drifter and could be the next big thing in Afghanistan cricket. Ghazanfar registered himself for the Indian Premier League auction but couldn't find any buyers.
Ghazanfar rose through the ranks as a fast bowler due to his height. Standing 6ft 2 inches tall, Ghazanfar started as a fast bowler. In the coming years, he slowly shifted to being a mystery spinner under the guidance of former Afghanistan international Dawlat Ahmadzai.
“I started with tennis ball cricket and would play in my neighborhood, but under the guidance of my coach, I started bowling spin, and soon, I developed an action, and there hasn’t been any looking back since,” the youngster told Sportstar in an interview in 2022.