In the Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off, rising stars, including a 17-year-old, have started well. Youth could be crucial to each team’s top-two results.
In the first matches of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States all won. However, rising stars from the early winners and losers made their mark.
We look at the young stars who immediately affected the Qualifier Playoff and will now try to lead their team to a spot in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup later this year.
Aayan Khan (UAE)
Khan, one of the best players in the world, came to bat when the UAE was struggling at 89/5. He then led his team to a win over Papua New Guinea in the first round.
The 17-year-old star showed maturity beyond his years when he and captain Muhammad Waseem (96) established an 80-run partnership that helped the UAE get to 260/7.
Aayan was unbeaten with 94* from 10 balls, including 3 sixes and 9 fours. He then bowled 8 overs of left-arm spin for 1/33 in a key effort.
Karthik Meiyappan (UAE)
Last year at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the 22-year-old leg-spinner made a name for himself with a hat-trick. This time, though, he was just as important with the bat in the UAE’s 21-run win.
In a 90-run partnership with Aayan Khan that got them to the penultimate ball, Meiyappan added 24 important runs at the end of the innings.
The young all-arounder then did the damage with the ball. In eight overs, he got 4/45, including the important wicket of PNG captain Assad Vala for one.
The UAE thinks keeper-batsman Vriitya Aravind, who is 20 years old, will also affect the Qualifier Playoff. Despite his golden miss against PNG, he was among the top 10 League 2 run-scorers.
The UAE could trust 21-year-old all-rounder Aryan Lakra to start the innings and bowl three overs of off-spin against PNG, and 20-year-old medium-pacer Sanchit Sharma was given the new ball. These are both good signs for the UAE’s future.
On the other hand, PNG chose left-handed quick Semo Kamea, who took the new ball and got 2/38 against the UAE, and keeper Hila Vare, both of whom are 21 years old.
The USA picked a team with a lot of experience to play Namibia, with every player on the team being at least 28 years old. However, injuries to several top players have almost forced the tournament hosts to go with a younger team.
Shaun Fouché (Namibia)
Fouché, an all-rounder for Namibia, made the most of his chance in front of his home fans in only his third ODI, even though his team lost by an unexpected 80 runs.
The 23-year-old medium-pace bowler got 3/46 in 10 overs, and he followed that up by getting 55 off of 98 balls to start Namibia’s innings while wickets were falling at the other end.
Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton and Fouché put up 62 runs together for the fourth wicket, which helped Namibia’s hopes until the 22-year-old left-hander was out for 38.
In the first match of the Qualifier Play-off, Ben Shikongo made an early statement with two dismissals, including the key wicket of Monank Patel in the second over of the USA’s innings. The quick, who is 22 years old, finished with 3/59 in 10 overs.
Jersey has turned to young players more than any other team in the Qualifier Play-off. They are about to play their first ODI matches, and they are also looking to the future.
Lawrenson Josh (Jersey)
The 20-year-old Lawrenson surprised with 426 runs in 11 Challenge League games. When the stakes got higher, with 66 runs from 101 balls against Canada, he looked more than comfortable.
Nick Greenwood (Jersey)
The 23-year-old opener and Lawrenson put up 81 runs for the second wicket. Greenwood did most of the striking, hitting two sixes and five fours on his way to 59 runs from 70 balls.
Greenwood went into the Qualifier Play-off in bad shape because he scored the most in Challenge League Group B with 809 runs in 15 games.
Julius Sumerauer was given the new ball, and after 10 overs, the pacer ended with 2/42. The 22-year-old hit 13 runs quickly as Jersey tried to stay in the game.
For their opening match, Jersey also picked 22-year-old starter Harrison Carlyon (18 runs) and 19-year-old top-order batter Asa Tribe (6 runs, 0/11).
Canada, on the other hand, chose 23-year-old right-hander Matthew Spoors for their winning team. Spoors scored six runs in his first ODI.
