Under-19 Tri-Nation Series 2023-24 Points Table: Updated Standings after South Africa vs India, Match 5
India defeated South Africa by six wickets in Match No.5 of the Under-19 Tri-Nation Series 2023-24 on Saturday, January 6. The Old Edwardians Cricket Club A Ground, Johannesburg hosted the match.
India continued their dominant run, and with four wins and eight points, they are set to finish at the top of the points table with a net run rate of 1.859. Meanwhile, Afghanistan are placed second with one win, two defeats, and two points. They have a net run rate of -1.200.
Courtesy of this defeat, South Africa continues to languish at the bottom of the table. They crashed to their third straight defeat and have a net run rate of -0.708.
Afghanistan need a win against South Africa to make the final. As for the Proteas, they will not only have to beat Afghanistan but overtake their net run rate as well if they are to qualify from this stage.
Therefore, the final league-stage game between Afghanistan and South Africa is set to be a virtual semi-final. The winner of this contest will go on to meet the Men in Blue in the final.
Musheer Khan, Uday Saharan guide India to fourth consecutive win
Bowling first, India restricted South Africa to a modest total of 256. Steve Stolk top-scored with a 66-ball 69 but he failed to convert it into a big innings. The likes of Dewan Marais (32), Romashan Pillay (24), Riley Norton (32), and Sipho Maphaka (31) got starts but failed to capitalize on them.
Musheer Khan carried his impressive form and was the star of the show with the ball for India. He picked up five wickets, giving away only 38 runs from his 10 overs. Naman Tiwari backed up his brilliant performance from the previous game as well, grabbing three wickets for 32 runs from his eight overs. Murugan Abhishek and Priyanshu Moliya picked up a wicket each as well.
Chasing the target, the Men in Blue lost a couple of early wickets and were reduced to 2/2 in the very first over. However, skipper Uday Saharan and Priyanshu Moliya joined hands to steer the chase in a difficult situation with the scorecard reading 92/3. Saharan slammed a well-measured 112 off 153 deliveries while Priyanshu scored 76 runs off 84 balls.
India eventually got over the line with six wickets and eight deliveries to spare as the duo stitched a match-winning 133-run stand.
Kwena Maphaka (2), Riley Norton, and Sipho Potsane (1 each) were among the wickets for South Africa with the ball.