Benoni: In the first semi-final of the Under-19 World Cup, captain Uday Saharan and Chetan Dhas led India to victory over South Africa, securing qualification for the semi-final. The match, played in Benoni, South Africa, saw India winning the toss and opting to bowl first. South Africa, batting first, scored 244 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in the allotted 50 overs, with contributions from Rachin Ravindra and Luke Beaufort who scored 64 and 76 runs respectively.

In pursuit of the target, the Indian team initially faced difficulties, losing four wickets for 32 runs. At this stage, captain Uday Saharan and Chetan Dhas stepped in and changed the course of the match with an excellent and responsible batting performance. Both contributed 171 runs for the fifth wicket, bringing their team back into the game after China failed to complete their century and scored 96 runs before leaving.

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Shortly after captain Uday Saharan was dismissed after scoring 81 runs, the Indian team lost 8 wickets, but by that time India had already scored 244 runs and the Under-19 team secured victory after a thrilling match. With a successful chase of 244 runs and losing only 2 wickets in between, India qualified for the final of the Under-19 World Cup.

Captain Uday Saharan, who played an excellent innings of 81 runs, was hailed as the best player of the match. The final match will be played between India and the winner of the second semi-final match between Pakistan and Australia.