U19 World Cup: “AB de Villiers says it will be an interesting final, given the amazing depth India has in cricket.”

Former cricket player AB de Villiers showered the U-19 Indian team with accolades after they defeated the hosts, South Africa, in a thrilling comeback earlier this week in the Benoni quarterfinal.

India defeated South Africa to maintain their hopes of winning a record-breaking sixth Under-19 World Cup. For the ninth and fifth times in a running, the Uday Saharan-led team defeated the Proteas by two wickets to secure a position in the top match.

The Hugh Weibgen-led team defeated Pakistan by one wicket in a thrilling semifinal match at Willowmoore Park in Benoni, and the Boys-In-Blue will now play Australia on Sunday.

De Villiers, who spoke exclusively to IANS, acknowledged his displeasure at South Africa’s defeat but complimented the Indian team for their impressive comeback to win in the semifinals.

Yes, I have been keeping track with the U19 World Cup. Two of the semifinal matches were quite tight, particularly the Australia-Pakistan game. Despite being nine down, the Australians pulled back, as they always do in crucial situations. It’s fortunate that these men picked it up at an early age,” he said.

The South Africa-India match was very tight. Despite collecting four early wickets, South Africa was unable to apply any pressure. India won the semis after making a fantastic comeback. That was excellent. Yes, it demonstrates the incredible depth India has in cricket. There will be an intriguing conclusion.