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It was a nerve wracking game of cricket here at Benoni as it has been throughout the tournament and the end of 40 games we finally have our two finalists. Australia will join India for the final here at the same ground. For now, it's Soumarya Dutta taking your leave on behalf of Bidipto Datta. See you soon.
Hugh Weibgen, Australia Captain - I was quite nervous and excited and it was an awesome finish at the end! It was a tough choice to leave out a front line seamer but Streaker was outstanding with the ball. There was extra bounce on offer on this surface and we were well prepared accordingly. We fought so hard and they were on the top on several occasions but we pulled it back. 17 year old Ollie Peake was outstanding. India are a class team and we are really looking forward to that game.
Saad Baig (Pakistan Under 19s captain): It's difficult to finish as the losing team but, we fell short by 10-20 runs I feel. Boys fought really well, especially the bowlers. The fight was strong but it was just not to be. 15 to 20 runs would have been really handy on this pitch. As captain, I feel proud to represent my country in this capacity but this is a game and someone will lose, so, we have to take it forward from here.
Tom Straker has been adjudged the Player of the Match! Here is what he has to say.
Tom Straker: It got a bit closer that what we would have liked but thankfully, we got the job done! It was a pretty good bowling effort today in rather helpful conditions. (On him going past Kagiso Rabada with the best figures in an U-19 World Cup match) Oh, I didn't know that really! We've had pretty good confidence heading into this tournament and that does not change, even when he go for the final on Sunday!
Australia 181/9 in 49.1 overs Harry Dixon 50(75) | Ali Raza 4/34 OIlie Peake 49 (75) | Arafat Minhas 2/20
Absolutely unreal scenes here at Benoni and it is Australia who have clinched the semi-final here by just one wicket. It was a game that swung like a pendulum and headed for a nerve wracking finish in the end but Raf MacMillan held his nerve at the back end as he scored perhaps the most important 19 runs of his career. Spare of thought for Pakistan, who fought incredibly hard but won't get to book a place in the final.
Australia started off well in the powerplay as they steadied the ship and got through unscathed without any loss of wickets. Dixon and Konstas were watchful but scored a few boundaries too. The wicket came for Pakistan just after the powerplay as Australia lost Konstas.
Harry Dixon dug in deep from there onwards but the support didn't really come from the other end as the likes of Weibgen, Hicks and Harjas Singh fell in really quick succession. The partnership that Australia needed came from there onwards as Dixon and Ollie Peake got together and put together 43 runs as the former crossed his 50. He fell soon after though and it was down to Peake, who kept his composure and built another partnership with Campbell. The duo weathered through a trial by spin initially but began to score the runs against the seamers.
The partnership was broken eventually by Arafat Minhas yet again and he put the pressure right back on the Aussies with the wicket of Campbell.It was followed by an outstanding spell from Ali Raza who cleaned up the two tail enders Beardman and Straker. In the end they needed 16 runs to win with four overs and one wicket in hand but the two tail enders held their nerve and managed to get their side over the line.
AUSSIES ARE INTO THE FINAL OF THE 2024 U19 CRICKET WORLD CUP! They've won this game by the barest of margins by just one wicket. Pakistan took the game really close but they missed out in the end courtesy fortune going against them.
49.1 Mohammad Zeeshan to Raf MacMillan, FOUR RUNS! AUSTRALIA WIN A CLIFFHANGER! AND IT'S THAT INSIDE EDGE THAT DOES THE TRICK! THEY ARE INTO THE FINAL! Short around off-stump here. Raf went for the pat to the point region on the back foot but ended up almost chopping it back on to his stumps. But, as it worked out, the ball missed the stumps, the keeper failed to get to it to his left and short fine-leg's chase to the boundary to save runs went in vain! With that, a magnificent match came to an end with the Aussies prevailing under the most extreme of pressures!
Everyone is at the edge of their seats and MacMillan will be the man on strike. Can he do the unbelievable for the Aussies!
Vidler looked to get through that over and he managed to do that successfully in the end. Superb cricket here right in the end from the two sides. We're going into the final six balls of the game to decide who will go into the final.
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Willowmoore Park, Benoni
Callum Vidler
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Ubaid Shah
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