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In a riveting cricketing spectacle at Buffalo Park in East London, the clash between New Zealand U-19 and Afghanistan U-19 in Match 11 of the ICC U-19 World Cup 2024 unfolded into a nail-biting encounter. The young Kiwis emerged victorious in a hard-fought one-wicket triumph, leaving spectators on the edge of their seats.
Amidst the pulsating drama that transpired on the field, the spotlight was seized by the remarkable Mankad incident involving Ewald Schreuder. The audacious move was orchestrated by the Afghan spinner and skipper Naseer Khan Maroofkhil, adding an unexpected twist to an already intense battle.
Naseer Khan Maroofkhil‘s mankad
The pivotal incident occurred on the first delivery of the 29th over during New Zealand’s run chase. In a crucial moment, Maroofkhil embarked on his run-up to deliver the ball to Matt Rowe, with Schreuder stationed at the non-striker’s end. However, what unfolded defied expectations. The crafty left-armer displayed a surprising twist as he deftly switched the ball to his non-bowling right hand and swiftly dislodged the bails, effecting a run-out of Schreuder even before delivering the ball.
With just two runs needed to secure victory, Schreuder, caught off guard and having strayed too far from the crease, found himself staring in disbelief at the bowler. Despite the shock, replays confirmed the legality of the maneuver, exposing the right-handed batter’s inadvertent error.
Here is the video:
Also READ: U19 World Cup 2024: New Zealand beat Afghanistan in a thriller; England edge past South Africa
Low scoring thriller between New Zealand U-19 and Afghanistan U-19
Mentioning the game, Afghans completely failed with the willow, succumbing to a total of 91 runs in 2.3 overs. The star of the white leather was Rowe, who claimed a five-wicket haul, playing an instrumental role in dismantling his rival side’s batting.
Coming to the chase, the Afghan bowlers gave it all to stop New Zealand from reaching their goals. The bowlers delivered a stellar performance, claiming nine wickets, but the BlackCaps showed resilience and eventually sealed the victory by a narrow margin of one wicket.
