IND vs SA U19 World Cup SF Preview: Indian batters against Proteas bowlers

In seven meetings in the Under-19 World Cup, which includes the famous final in 2008 where Virat Kohli's men lifted the trophy, South Africa leads the head-head by four games to three

After an arduous journey of 38 matches in 16 days, the four contenders for the ICC Under-19 World Cup have been finalised in defending champions India, hosts South Africa, always enterprising Pakistan and the Knagaroos from Downunder- Australia.

It is India and South Africa who will kick off the semi-final leg of the campaign with the match on Tuesday at Willowmoore Park in Benoni.

Check India vs South Africa semifinal live score and match updates at ICC Under-19 World Cup here

Dominant India hard to beat

The Indian team has dominated their opponents, and as a result, three of their five wins have been by a margin of over 200 runs. The domination comes from not relying on an individual to bail them, as four different players have notched up five centuries from the Indian Colts in the tournament. While Uday Saharan, Sachin Dhas and Arshin Kulkarni have one century each to their name, Musheer Khan has hit two of them.

 

It's not just the batters, even bowlers have performed well, taking all 50 wickets available. Saumy Pandey leads the charts with 16 to his name, and Naman Tiwari is in second place with nine wickets.

Also Read: ICC U19 World Cup semis: IND vs SA playing 11, live match time, streaming

South African players that India must be wary of

Kwena Maphaka of South Africa is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament and in two matches before the U-19 World Cup and took two wickets as well. However, in this tournament, he has dismantled opposing batting lineups, claiming three five-wicket hauls.

Not just Maphaka, even Proteas Under-19 batters Steve Stolk and Lhuan-dre Pretorius have showcased exceptional form, leading the charge for South Africa. Thanks to the explosive batting of the duo, the team was able to chase down 273 runs for victory in just 27 overs against Scotland to secure the top spot in the group stages.

Head to Head between India U19 and South Africa U19

Overall, India and South Africa have come up against each other in 25 matches at the Under-19 level in limited overs, and according to ESPNCrinfo, India has won 19 of those matches, and the Proteas Colts have won only six.

Team	Span	Mat	Won	Lost	Win Per Cent
India Under-19s	1996-2024	25	19	6	76
South Africa Under-19s	1996-2024	25	6	19	24

Head to Head between India and South Africa at U-19 World Cup

The two teams have come up against each other on seven occasions in Under-19 World Cup history, which includes the famous final in 2008 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where Virat Kohli's men lifted the trophy. South Africa leads the head-head by four games to three.

Team	Span	Mat	Won	Lost	Win Per Cent
India Under-19s	1998-2022	7	3	4	43.86
South Africa Under-19s	1998-2022	7	4	3	57.14

Road to the ICC Under-19 World Cup Semi-Final

India

Form guide (in the tournament): W W W W W

India commenced their tournament with a commanding 84-run victory over Bangladesh, led by Saumy Pandey's impressive four-wicket haul.

In the following match against Ireland, Musheer Khan's century propelled India beyond the 300-run mark, with Naman Tiwari contributing a four-wicket haul for a resounding 201-run win.

The momentum continued as the defending champions breached 300 runs once more, this time against the USA. Opener Arshin Kulkarni passed three figures this time, before Naman recorded successive four-fors as India emerged victors by the same margin.

The Super Six stage then rolled around, and up against New Zealand, Musheer Khan showcased his brilliance with a second century, setting a target of 296. Saumy Pandey's four wickets dismantled any hope of a chase, as the Blackcaps were bowled out for just 81.

Centuries from captain Uday Saharan and Sachin Dhas laid the foundation for a big total of 297/5 in their final Super Six match against Nepal. Pandey's left-arm spin wreaked havoc once again, leading to a 131-run victory as India punched their tickets to the semi-finals.

South Africa

Form guide (in the tournament): W W L W W

The hosts started off their tournament with a thrilling win over West Indies in a closely contested match. Kwena Maphaka's scintillating five-for trumped Jewel Andrew's valiant ton as the Proteas won by 31 runs.

South Africa then suffered their first and only defeat, losing out against England by 36 runs (DLS) in a rain-truncated match.

However, they bounced back in style by chasing 273 in 27 overs against Scotland. Steve Stolk smashed a fifty off just 13 balls, the fastest in U19 Men's CWC history and was well supported by Dewan Marais's 50-ball 80.

In their first outing in the Super Six stage, Kwena Maphaka's second five-wicket haul restricted Zimbabwe to a lowly 102. South Africa launched another explosive chase to secure a comfortable win in just 13.3 overs, with Pretorius contributing a quickfire half-century.

In their final Super Six game, Sri Lanka's bowling posed a challenge, restricting the hosts to a modest 232 runs. However, Maphaka's outstanding six-wicket haul tore through the Islanders' batting lineup, securing South Africa's qualification and a blockbuster matchup against India in the semi-final with an emphatic 119-run victory.

U-19 World Cup 2024 Squads

India U19 Squad

Adarsh Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, Priyanshu Moliya, Uday Saharan(c), Sachin Dhas, Musheer Khan, Aravelly Avanish(w), Murugan Abhishek, Raj Limbani, Saumy Pandey, Aaradhya Shukla, Ansh Gosai, Dhanush Gowda, Naman Tiwari, Rudra Patel, Prem Devkar, Mohamed Amaan, Innesh Mahajan

South Africa U19 Squad

Lhuan-dre Pretorius(w), Steve Stolk, David Teeger, Richard Seletswane, Dewan Marais, Juan James(c), Romashan Pillay, Riley Norton, Tristan Luus, Nqobani Mokoena, Kwena Maphaka, Martin Khumalo, Oliver Whitehead, Sipho Potsane, Ntando Zuma, Raeeq Daniels