Fast bowler
Corbin Bosch saved his best performance in the tournament for the title match
when he claimed four for 15, and wicketkeeper Clyde Fortuin collected six
catches behind the wickets as Pakistan were bundled out for 131 in 44.3 overs
after electing to bat first.
South Africa
captain Aiden Markram then held one end together as he scored an unbeaten 66 to
guide his team home in 42.1 overs.
Markram, who
faced 125 balls and hit six fours, was well assisted by Greg Oldfield, who
contributed 40 in a 71-runs partnership for the third wicket to help the side
recover after South Africa was reduced to 28 for two.
Markram was
declared player of the tournament for scoring 370 runs in the tournament, which
saw him strike two centuries and one half-century.
A delighted
Markram later said: “It feels amazing. This is the first win for South Africa
at a global ICC event, so I can’t even describe how I feel right now. The boys
are over the moon.”
Talking
about his match-winning innings, Markram felt he was not at his best. “It was
one of those innings where it didn’t feel great, but I am really glad that I
could stick it out.”
Markram felt
the tournament was a great learning curve for his side. “The team has performed
really well in the tournament, and it has been a great experience for all of
us. We’ve learned so many things from this tournament, and there is so much
that we can take from here to help us further our careers.
“The
tournament has been fantastic, we are so grateful to the ICC, the organisers
and every person involved in this tournament for such a great experience.
“It has been
absolutely amazing having all the mums and dads here, supporting us, and I am
just so glad that we could win it for them,” concluded Markram.
Pakistan
captain Sami Aslam, who also played in 2012 in Townsville when his side
finished eighth, said: “Obviously, we’re disappointed because we’re a much
better side than the result shows. But all credit to South Africa who outplayed
us. They’re a deserving champion.”
Sami
defended his decision to bat first but admitted some of the batsmen did commit
mistakes. “I don’t think it was a bad decision to bat first because we saw off
the difficult period. Unfortunately, we lacked application and good shot
selection at the top of the order. Again, we must appreciate South Africa’s
bowlers who bowled very well and stuck to the plan.
“It has been
a great event for everyone and I’m sure this will help the cricketers in the
future. Playing in a World Cup final when you’re a teenager is a huge motivation
and incentive, and I’ve no doubts that a lot of cricketers will look back at
this tournament with a lot of pride and satisfaction.”
Pakistan’s
decision to bat first after winning the toss backfired when they lost half
their side before the 20th over. They soon slipped to 72 for seven in 29.1
overs before Zafar Gohar (22) and Amad Butt (37 not out) managed to take their
side to 131.
This was the
third lowest score in a 50-over final in the history of the ICC U19 Cricket
World Cup. Pakistan had scored 109 in Colombo in 2006 but bounced back to
dismiss India for 71. In 2008, South Africa scored 108 for eight after their
target had been revised to 116 from 25 overs against India.
Pakistan was
rocked by some inspired and quality bowling by South Africa’s pace quartet of
Kagiso Rabada, Ngazibini Sigwili, Justin Dill and Corbin Bosch, who
consistently bowled in the corridor of uncertainty and forced the Pakistan
batsmen into playing false strokes.
Sami Aslam
(16), Imam-ul-Haq (12), Hasan Raza (15) and Kamran Ghulam (0) were all caught
at the wicket by Fortuin, who later also accounted for Saifullah Khan (1) and
Karamat Ali (1) to finish with six catches in the match.
It is the
first time since Australia’s Darren Barry in the inaugural event in 1988 that a
wicketkeeper had taken six catches behind the wickets, though Sri Lanka’s
Charith Sylvester sits on the top of the tree when he dismissed eight batsmen
behind the wickets (eight dismissals: four catches and four stumpings) in the
2002 tournament.
After Rabada
provided the vital breakthrough when he dismissed Imam, Dill picked up the
prized wickets of Sami and Hasan before Bosch ripped the heart out of Pakistan
middle-order with some aggressive and accurate fast bowling.
Bosch, the
19-year-old from Durban, bowled to a teasing line and length to return match
figures of 7.3-2-15-4. Bosch finished the tournament with nine wickets, while
Rabada ended up with 14 wickets and Dill with 12 scalps.
Talking
about his performance, Bosch said: “It was great to get out there and give my
best performance in the final. I am so happy and to have played well for the
boys and in the final is just great.”
The
right-arm fast bowler said his father, the late former South Africa Test bowler
Tertius Bosch, was his biggest motivation. “I did it for my dad. This week and
all through the tournament, I have been doing it for my dad. It's his birthday
this weekend,” he said.
Playing in
front of Star Sports cameras and being seen by a global audience also added
pressure for Bosch. “There were a few butterflies in the stomach this morning,
but I came here to play well, and after the first few overs, they went away.
“This is the
first time that South Africa has won a global event, and to be part of that is
amazing. It hasn’t sunk in yet, but I hope it does soon, and then we’ll go out
with all of the boys and celebrate,” added Bosch.
The next ICC
U19 Cricket World Cup will be staged in Bangladesh in 2016
