Australia vs. Pakistan: Form guide, head-to-head, players to be cautious about in the U19 World Cup semifinal

In the U19 World Cup, Australia and Pakistan have both gone undefeated thus far, defeating tough opponents like Bangladesh, New Zealand, and England.
There will be two teams in the second semi-final of the ICC U19 World Cup 2024 who have experienced ups and downs in the competition. Looking through the glass half full, Australia and Pakistan have not done too badly. Both teams have defeated tough opponents like Bangladesh, New Zealand, and England to remain unbeaten in the competition.

However, none of their paths to the elimination round have been easy ones. In difficult conditions, both sides had to overcome difficult stretches of play; Pakistan in particular having to do this in their Super Six matches.

These shocks keep them sharp for the semi-finals, but they also highlight their areas for development.
Both Australia and Pakistan have excellent pace assaults and cunning spinners in their lineups. Their top-order hitters have also displayed excellent form.

A must-win match between these two lineups has all the ingredients for a nail-biting match because to the tremendous talent in their ranks and their tendency to play positive cricket.

AUSTRALIA

The group that included Hugh Weibgen’s side included Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Sri Lanka.

In their first match against Namibia, the pacers, led by Callum Vidler, wrecked havoc, bowling out the African team for 91 runs. But at 57/5, Namibia’s quick bowlers stood tall and caused Australia some serious problems. Namibia’s momentum was stopped by a methodical stroke from captain Weibgen, who guided them to victory by four wickets.

After that, they put on a more comprehensive batting display against Zimbabwe, where Harry Dixon’s 89 helped them to a substantial total before Harkirat Bajwa’s 4/15 destroyed the opposition’s chase. Ryan Hicks’ elegant 77* saved the team in the last group match against Sri Lanka, when Australia’s top order collapsed at the beginning of the second Powerplay.

Australia’s top order was once again among the runs in their opening Super Six match against England, spearheaded by Weibgen’s colorful century. Then, in a match marred by rain, their bowlers took advantage of pressure on the scoreboard to earn a decisive victory.

In their last Super Six match, the batting fell short again against a fired-up West Indies, but Sam Konstas’ outstanding century enabled them to make a competitive 227/8. The match had all the makings of a thriller with Charlie Anderson’s early advances, but weather intervened and the game terminated without a conclusion. They qualified for the semi-finals of the Super Six after going undefeated and winning Group 2.

PAKISTAN

Afghanistan, Nepal, New Zealand, and Pakistan were all assigned to Group D.

For Saad Baig’s team, the group games went really well. Despite Saad’s fifty attacking run, Shahzaib Khan’s 106 set the standard for a huge total against Afghanistan. Pakistan won the match by a score of 181 runs thanks to the tenacity of pacers Ubaid Shah and Mohammad Zeeshan.

In their second game, they were challenged by a heroic effort from Nepal. After batting out their fifty overs, Nepal put Pakistan in trouble at 104/4. Then, in East London, a patient 63 from Azan Awais took Pakistan to win.

But against the Kiwis in the last group match, Pakistan was back to their best. After the top order was eliminated by Ubaid’s brilliant opening performance, Arafat Minhas took three wickets to break the tail. Shahzaib’s aggressive 80* helped Pakistan win the match by ten wickets.

Pakistan’s batting was put to the test in the Super Six stage, following their modest 181-run dismissal of Ireland. This time, Ahmad Hassan’s 57* helped them escape difficulty and win by three wickets.

Their last Super Six match versus Bangladesh resulted in a battle of net run rates. Sheikh Jibon and Rohanat Doullah Borson bowled incredibly well to dismiss their subcontinental counterparts for 155 runs, despite Pakistan having a strong start.

In a low-scoring thriller, Ubaid’s 5/44 combined with some outstanding fielding saw Pakistan win by five runs. They finished second in Group 1 with eight points, trailing only India in terms of run rate.

PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Hugh Weibgen, Australia’s captain, has also been a pillar of support throughout the contest. With a sharp 39* from 43 to start the competition, he helped end a dangerous chase against Namibia.

In the second game against Zimbabwe, Harry Dixon received assistance from a strong 68 from 69 balls. Against England, he opened the Super Six with a stroke-filled 120, but he was unable to get going in the third game. In a knock that lasted more than three hours, he hit fifteen fours. The groundwork for an enormous Australian victory was set by this century.

Weibgen has been a captain on the field in addition to his batsmanship. He has shown astute leadership overall and in his bowling adjustments.

A major advantage to Pakistan’s unpredictable batting lineup is Shahzaib Khan’s unwavering presence at the top of the order. In two of their group matches, he was named Player of the Match after scoring a century against Afghanistan and an undefeated half-century against New Zealand.

Additionally, the southpaw made sure Pakistan’s low-scoring chases against Bangladesh and Nepal would get off to steady beginnings.
Shahzaib’s innings at the top of the order will be crucial for Pakistan in the semi-final against a strong attack, especially considering the previous struggles of the middle-order batsmen.

Callum Vidler has distinguished himself for Australia with his lightning-fast reflexes, agility, and movement. The spinner has already claimed 11 wickets in the rain-affected match against the West Indies, despite missing a game and bowling sparingly.

Against Namibia and England, eight of these wickets came in the form of four-wicket hauls that won the match.

On February 6 in Benoni, Vidler, along with Charlie Anderson and Mahli Beardman, can give Australia the early advantage.

Ubaid Shah, the younger brother of Naseem Shah, is tied for second place in the U19 Men’s CWC 2024 wicket-taking standings, behind South Africa’s Kwena Maphaka.

The pacer started off with a 4/26 against Afghanistan and hasn’t looked back. Due to his excellent performance with both the new and old ball, the bowler has contributed to Pakistan’s comebacks in matches at pivotal moments and has an impact throughout the entire game.

This was demonstrated against Bangladesh when Ubaid changed the course of the game and assisted Pakistan in their historic victory by overcoming the humiliation of having dropped a catch to take the vital wicket of Mohammad Shihab James in the very next over.