“These early victories give all three teams momentum and confidence for the matches ahead.”
England, Australia, and Afghanistan all enjoyed impressive victories on Day Two of the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Australia, the defending champions, beat Ireland by eight wickets. Ireland batted first and scored 235/7, with Rob O’Brien making 79. Australia chased the target comfortably, led by Steven Hogan’s 115 and Nitesh Samuel’s unbeaten 77, winning with 62 balls to spare.
England defeated Pakistan by 37 runs in a low-scoring match. Batting first, England made 210 with a key partnership between Caleb Falconer and Ralphie Albert. Pakistan could only manage 173 in reply, with Farhan Yousaf top-scoring with 65.
Afghanistan pulled off the day’s most thrilling win, beating South Africa by 28 runs. Afghanistan posted 266/8, thanks to contributions from Khalid Ahmadzai (74), Faisal Shinozada (81), and Uzairullah Niazai (51). South Africa fought back, but Jason Rowles’ 98 was not enough as the team fell short at 238 all out.
The three teams started their campaigns strongly, showing skillful batting and disciplined bowling, setting the tone for an exciting tournament ahead.