Scotland emerged triumphant against Namibia in a pivotal play-off match in Benoni, marking the culmination of their ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 journey.
The standout player of the day was Bahadar Esakhiel, whose explosive innings proved to be the game-changer, guiding Scotland to a thrilling 3-run victory.
Opting to bat after winning the toss, Scotland faced an early setback with the loss of Adi Hegde to a splendid delivery by Jack Brassell. Alec Price followed suit, dismissed in the next over by Junior Kariata.
The duo of Jamie Dunk and Captain Owen Gould, reminiscent of their resilience in the previous match against South Africa, once again teamed up to navigate through troubled waters.
Despite the early loss of wickets, Dunk and Gould displayed composure, cautiously building a partnership while negotiating the initial Powerplay restrictions.
The breakthrough came in the 14th over when Gould, attempting to maintain aggression, misjudged a delivery from Peter-Daniel Blignaut, resulting in a catch by Kariata at short third.
Uzair Ahmad joined Dunk, ensuring the innings stayed on track. The pair weathered the storm, accumulating runs until the aggressive play led to the fall of both set batsmen within four overs. The Namibian bowlers, particularly Gerhard Janse van Rensburg and Blignaut, regained control, limiting Scotland’s scoring.
With 13 overs remaining and half the side back in the pavilion, Scotland seemed to be on shaky ground. However, Esakhiel took center stage, injecting life into the innings with a series of boundaries. His explosive innings, including a half-century off 48 balls, propelled Scotland to a challenging total of 251/6.
Namibia, in pursuit of the target, faced early struggles, accumulating only 11 runs in the first six overs. Ibrahim Faisal’s crafty bowling accounted for crucial wickets, with Johannes de Villiers and Van Rensburg falling victim to his precision.
Van Vuuren’s aggressive approach provided a glimmer of hope for Namibia, but Scotland’s bowlers, led by Esakhiel, continued to apply pressure.
The partnership between Visagie and Van Vuuren brought Namibia back into contention. Visagie reached a well-paced fifty, and the duo added 115 runs for the third wicket. Hegde’s timely breakthrough, dismissing Visagie for 69, shifted the balance once again in Scotland’s favor.
With the required rate escalating, Van Vuuren and Captain Alex Volschenk launched a counterattack, adding 60 runs swiftly. Van Vuuren reached his fifty, but the aggressive approach led to the downfall of Volschenk and Brassell. Qasim Khan’s crucial wickets tilted the game back in Scotland’s favor.
As the tension mounted, Namibia needed 38 off the final three overs. Esakhiel’s fireworks with the ball, combined with Ibrahim Faisal’s composed bowling in the last over, secured a nerve-wracking 3-run victory for Scotland.
Esakhiel’s all-around brilliance earned him the well-deserved Player of the Match accolade, providing a fitting end to Scotland’s campaign in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024.
