U19 World Cup semi-final | Pakistan vs Australia | Probable Playing XIs | Head-to-Head and Pitch Report

• Pakistan and Australia will clash in the U19 World Cup semifinal today.
• Pakistan made it to semifinals undefeated.
• Pakistan have won 19 matches out of 34 encounters against Australia.

In the ongoing ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, Pakistan and Australia are set to compete in the second semi-final at Willowmoore Park, Benoni. Both teams have yet to face defeat.

Pakistan, led by Saad Baig, earned their semi-final berth by finishing second in Super Six Group 1. In contrast, Australia, under Hugh Weibgen’s leadership, advanced to the knockout stage as Group 2 winners.

This sets the stage for a thrilling encounter between two in-form teams, with the victor progressing to the final against India.

Pakistan, also known as the Green Shirts, have shown remarkable consistency and dominance in their group-stage matches against Afghanistan, Nepal, and New Zealand. Their winning streak continued against Ireland and Bangladesh, although Bangladesh did give them a run for their money in their most recent match.

Australia, on the other hand, topped their group with successive wins over Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. The ‘Men in Yellow’ then secured their semi-final spot by defeating England by 110 runs in the Super Six stage and drawing against West Indies.

Pitch Report

The pitch at Willowmoore Park has been one of the most challenging at this year’s U19 World Cup. In the first semi-final, the fast bowlers found extra bounce. As a result, batters in the upcoming match will need to play with caution and thoughtfulness before going for big shots. For spinners, the ball doesn’t always behave as expected.

Head-to-Head

The competitive history between Australia and Pakistan is reflected in their head-to-head record. Of the 35 matches they’ve played, Pakistan U19 has won 19 times, while Australia U19 has claimed victory 14 times.

There has also been a match that ended in a draw and one that was tied, highlighting the intense competition between these two youth teams.

Their rivalry began with their first match on 4th February 1982. Their most recent encounter was on 8th January 2022.

Probable lineups

Australia: Harry Dixon, Harjas Singh, Sam Konstas, Hugh Weibgen (C), Oliver Peake, Lachlan Aitken (wk), Raf MacMillan, Harkirat Bajwa, Tom Straker, Mahli Beardman, Callum Vidler

Pakistan: Shamyl Hussain, Shahzaib Khan, Azan Awais, Saad Baig (C/Wk), Ahmad Hassan, Haroon Arshad, Arafat Minhas, Ubaid Shah, Mohammad Zeeshan, Ali Asfand, Ali Raza