With a solid performances underlying two win in four matches under the belt, the South Africa U19 Cricket have qualified for the final of the Youth T20 International Tri-Series at the MCA Cricket Stadium, Gahunje, Pune, on Thursday, 12 December, 2024.
In an invaluable opportunity for pre-World Cup international ‘friendlies’ experience, the BCCI and CSA collaborated in this unique series, a golden chance to gauge and empower big match temperament ahead of the 2025 U19 ICC T20 World Cup in Malaysia.
Action in the second instalment of the international youth championship will start with Australia up against Scotland at the YSD-UKM Cricket Oval in Bangi on 18 January, and will end with the crowning of the second-ever U19 World Cup Champions, at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur, on 2 February, 2024.
The Youth T20 International Tri-Series featuring travellers South Africa U19 Women taking on India U19 A and B in Pune, India, from 3 to 12 December, 2024, and the impressive SA U19 Women’s captain Kayla Reyneke and her team have delivered stellar performances with both bat and ball to make it to the tournament final, on Thursday.
In their opening of four pool-stage matches, the U19 women thumped India A by 51 runs. The home team won the toss and elected to field first, and had success with continuous wickets until Mieke van Voorst and Reyneke put on an inning-defining partnership of 99 in 69 balls, SA going on to post a first innings total of 149/7.
Fay Cowling was the wrecking ball of India’s reply, starting with the wicket of opener Kavya in the second over, and chipping away with three more wickets costing just 14 runs in her three overs, SA going on to bowl India A out for 98 for the most inspiring series opener possible.
The closest of South Africa’s four matches were against India B, both of them narrowly lost, and the first of these came when Reyneke called right and elected to bat first on Wednesday, 4 December.
Her batters weren’t able to reward her confidence, as India B bowlers struck regularly to limit South Africa to 98/8 in their 20 overs. Middle-order batter / wicketkeeper Karabo Meso was the needle in their side, not giving her wicket away until the final ball of the innings, her 40-run contribution across 5 partnerships the saving grace of SA’s meagre runs total.
The South Africans didn’t make the chase easy, and India B also struggled with the bat, narrowly crossed the asking line with 8 wickets down, and just three deliveries to spare, Reyneke adding to helpful wickets to the leading numbers by Ashleigh van Wyk, who’s three wickets for 19 runs in her four overs was the pick of the South African returns.
Their second encounter against India A brought the tournament visitors their second win, a 22-run victory at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Saturday when Reyneke anchored the innings with an unbeaten half-century, helping SA set a formidable target of 156/4.
Effective South Africa bowling then stunted India A’s batting lineup, restricting the home team to 134/6 in their 20 overs, Reyneke and Jemma Botha the best of the bowlers with two scalps apiece, and Luyanda Nzuza’s removal of opener Sasthi Mondal’s setting the home team back early enough to inflict lasting damage, to earn SA U19 their second win.
Their final group-stage match, against India B at the MCA Cricket Stadium in Gahunje, Pune on Monday, saw the second close encounter of their tour, when the SA U19 batted first after losing the toss, with all five leading batters getting into double figures, the second wicket partnership of 52 runs in 46 balls between Chanel Venter and Diedré van Rensburg the best of four solid combinations, allowing South Africa to post 132/5 in their 20 overs.
Kayla Reyneke, Nthabiseng Nini, Fay Cowling, Seshnie Naidu and Luyanda Nzuza chipped in with a wicket apiece of the field of seven bowlers employed, but two powerful partnerships in Bharti Upadhaya and Niki Prasad (58 in 46 balls), and then between Prasad and Aayushi Shukla (30 runs in 19 balls) saw India B to their second win over the visiting SA U19 women, their 4-wicket win (16 balls rem.) good enough to see them through to Thursday final, where they will face SA in a contest for the championship title, and bragging rights as the World Cup challenge draw closer.
SA U19 Women’s Youth T20I Tri-Series vs India U19 A & B at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, from 3 to 12 December, 2024
Tue 3 Dec: 1st Youth T20I: SA U19 beat India U19 A by 51 runs
Wed 4 Dec: 2nd Youth T20I: India U19 B beat SA U19 by 2 wickets
Fri 6 Dec: 3rd Youth T20I: India U19 B beat India U19 A by 8 wickets
Sat 7 Dec: 4th Youth T20I: SA U19 beat India U19 A by 22 runs
Mon 9 Dec: 5th Youth T20I: India U19 B beat South Africa U19 by 4 wickets
Tue 10 Dec: 6th Youth T20I: India U19 B beat India U19 A by 19 runs
Thu 12 Dec: Youth T20I Tri-Series Final: India U19 B vs South Africa U19
South Africa U19 Women Squad: Youth T20 International Series against India (28 October to 1 November, 2024
Jemma Botha (World Sports Betting Western Province)
Fay Cowling (DP World Lions)
Jae-Leigh Filander (World Sports Betting Western Province)
Mona-Lisa Legodi (Fidelity Titans)
Simoné Lourens (Fidelity Titans)
Karabo Meso (DP World Lions)
Seshnie Naidu (Hollywoodbets Dolphins)
Nthabiseng Nini (Glencore Dragons)
Luyanda Nzuza (Knights)
Diara Ramlakan (DP World Lions)
Kayla Reyneke (World Sports Betting Western Province)
Diedré van Rensburg (Glencore Dragons)
Mieke van Voorst (Eastern Storm)
Ashleigh van Wyk (Eastern Storm)
Chanel Venter (Fidelity Titans)
Original Copy: Cricket SA, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: With a solid performances underlying two win in four matches, the South African U19 Cricket team have qualified for the final of the Youth T20 International Tri-Series at the MCA Cricket Stadium in Pune, India, on Thursday. File Photo: Cricket South Africa
Photo 2 Caption: Strike bowler Fay Cowling has been a significant factor in the junior SA women’s cricket successes against the Indian U19 women’s teams. File Photo: CSA
Photo 3 Caption: South African middle order batter / wicketkeeper Karabo Meso and pace bowler Luyanda Nzuza celebrate their batting partnership against Ireland. File Photo: CSA
Photo 4 Caption: The SA U19 Women’s team will be keen to earn another series win as they prepare for the 2025 U19 ICC T20 World Cup in Malaysia. File Photo: CSA
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