KINGSTON, Jamaica—The West Indies Under-19 cricket squad launched their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup campaign with a decisive five-wicket triumph against Tanzania in Namibia on Thursday. The Caribbean team demonstrated formidable bowling prowess and confident batting to secure their first victory in the tournament.
West Indies’ bowling attack proved instrumental in containing Tanzania’s innings after winning the toss and electing to field. Seamer Shaquan Belle delivered an exceptional all-round performance, earning Man-of-the-match honors with figures of 2-33, complemented by a crucial catch and a direct-hit runout that disrupted Tanzania’s middle order.
Despite a promising 53-run opening partnership between Dylan Thakrar (26) and Darpan Jobanputra (19), Tanzania’s batting lineup collapsed spectacularly, bowled out for a modest 122 runs in just 34 overs. The Caribbean bowling unit maintained relentless pressure, with Vitel Lawes claiming impressive figures of 3-23 and Micah McKenzie contributing 2-15.
In response, West Indies approached their run chase with calculated aggression. Opener Tanez Francis dominated the innings with a tournament-first half-century, scoring 52 runs off 55 deliveries including five boundaries and one six. Wicketkeeper-batsman Jewel Andrew provided strong support with 44 runs from 44 balls as the team reached their target of 124-5 in just 21 overs.
In other tournament action, India secured a six-wicket victory against the United States, while the scheduled match between Scotland and Zimbabwe was abandoned due to rain without a ball bowled.
The West Indies team continues their World Cup journey with a highly anticipated match against Afghanistan on Sunday, scheduled for 2:20 AM Jamaican time.