Bangladesh Under-19 and South Africa Under-19 will face-off each other in the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup's 5th place playoff in Queenstown on Wednesday. They will be fighting for the best place amongst the losing teams of the quarter-finals.

Both Bangladesh and South Africa took their revenge in the 5th place playoff semi-final by defeating the teams that had trounced them in the group-round of the ICC U-19 CWC. Bangladesh won their playoff match against England by 5 wickets, while the Proteas crushed New Zealand with a 73-run victory. England then registered a 32-run victory against New Zealand in the 7th place playoff on Tuesday.

Before the playoff semi-final, Bangladesh were handed a 103-defeat by India in the Super League quarter-final. On the other hand, Pakistan narrowly defeated South Africa by 3 wickets in order to qualify for the semi-finals, where they were eventually handed a 203-run thrashing by India.

Bangladesh had qualified for the quarter-finals as the group runner-up from Group C by winning their first two games against Namibia and Canada before group-champion England overcame the junior Tigers by 7 wickets.

2014 U19 champions – South Africa had also started the campaign with wins against Kenya and West Indies before New Zealand finally got a victory over them in the group-champion deciding game of Group A.

The five encounters between Bangladesh and South Africa in the history of the U19 CWC resulted in the African nation’s favor on four occasions whereas Bangladesh managed to win only once. 

Pinak Ghosh and Aminul Hasan, who could not contribute much to their side until now, will need to perform well along with the likes of Saif Hasan, Qazi Onik, Towhid Hridoy, and Hasan Mahmud in order to take the place that is already up for grabs. Afif Hossain, after his magnificent all-round performance in Bangladesh’s surprise victory over England, will have to continue his good form in all departments as well.

Meanwhile, Raynard van Tonder, Wendile Makwetu, Hermann Rolfes, and Matthew Breetzke will be the mainstays of the batting line-up for the Proteas. Gerald Coetzee, and Rolfes will also need to continue their good run that they have maintained throughout the tournament to get a positive outcome.

Bangladesh U19: Pinak Ghosh, Saif Hassan(c), Aminul Islam, Towhid Hridoy, Afif Hossain, Mohammad Rakib, Shakil Hossain(w), Qazi Onik, Robiul Haque, Hasan Mahmud, Tipu Sultan, Roni Hossen, Nayeem Hasan, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Mohammad Naim
South Africa U19: Jiveshan Pillay, Matthew Breetzke, Raynard van Tonder(c), Wandile Makwetu(w), Gerald Coetzee, Jean du Plessis, Jason Niemand, Kenan Smith, Andile Mokgakane, Jade de Klerk, Akhona Mnyaka, Fraser Jones, Thando Ntini, Hermann Rolfes, Kgaudise Molefe

Image Courtesy: ICC