ICC UNDER 19 CRICKET WORLD CUP 2020
The Group phase of the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup is complete and New Zealand has booked itself a quarterfinal spot after finishing in the top two nations of Group A, while opening batsman Rhys Mariu has emerged as one of the tournament's leading run-scorers.
New Zealand Under 19 will now meet unbeaten West Indies Under 19 in the quarterfinals, at Benoni's Willowmore Park from 9PM NZT this Wednesday.
NZ U19 qualified second in Group A, behind the undefeated defending champions India and ahead of Sri Lanka Under 19, whom New Zealand upended in a thriller this week to seal their spot, and first-time contestants Japan Under 19.
Otago's Beckham Wheeler-Greenall was man of the match after NZU19 edged Sri Lanka | ICC/Getty
Coached by Paul Wiseman and captained by Jesse Tashkoff, the New Zealanders played positively through some pressure situations in their weather-hit Group matches, and join India, Australia, Bangladesh, hosts South Africa, West Indies, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Super League Finals, while England, Japan, UAE, Scotland, Canada, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Nigeria drop down to the consoling Plate playoffs.
India and New Zealand's quarterfinal opponent West Indies Under 19 were the only sides to go three from three in the Group matches, the West Indians qualifying top in a tough Group B after overcoming Australia and knocking out England along the way.
New Zealand meanwhile dropped just one game - after a spirited chase in a challenging DLS run chase against India, a washout against Japan and the thrilling last-over win to knock out Sri Lanka.
Across all the Groups, with two half centuries from his three innings, Mariu's 179 runs at 59.66 has been bettered only by South Africa captain Bryce Parsons who tallied 245 at 81.66, including a century and one fifty.
West Indies strikeman Jayden Seales | ICC/Getty
New Zealand Under 19 will now be keenly scouting the five-prong West Indian pace attack after both Jayden Seales (eight wickets at 11.12 average) and Nyeem Young (six wickets at 10.83) completed their Group matches among the tournament's top eight most successful strikemen.
With placings decided by net run rate, Afghanistan has finished top of Group D ahead of fellow qualifier South Africa while Bangladesh topped Group C with Pakistan in tow.
