Hosts South Africa suffered a surprising defeat in their Under-19 World Cup opener, going down by 28 runs to a spirited Afghanistan side. Afghanistan posted a competitive 225/9, anchored by skipper Nematullah Khalil’s composed 50. In the second innings, the Afghan bowlers dominated, with Zia Ur Rehman’s spin wizardry yielding three crucial wickets. Despite a fighting 43 from Lhuan Breetzke, South Africa collapsed to 197 all out. This victory places Afghanistan firmly at the top of the early Group B standings.
