Anrich Nortje, a speedster from South Africa who was the 2024 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup event ambassador, talks about the tournament’s significance, history, and influence on the present and future of young cricket players. As stated to the ICC:
Being the event ambassador for the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup for the past several weeks has been an incredible experience, especially observing the young talent competing in this unique competition.
I haven’t felt that nervous in a long time, so doing commentary and working behind the microphone was nerve-wracking, but it was wonderful to watch how everyone collaborated to make the production a success. I thoroughly enjoyed the World Cup and was engrossed in it the entire time.
Every one of the five locations had a lively environment that really aided the event and surely helped bring out the best in the formidable teams and extraordinary talent who were competing. Australia was the rightful winner, but before we discuss their victory, let’s first note how amazing it is to pull off such a big event in such a short amount of time.
With such little time to prepare, the ICC and Cricket South Africa deserve a great deal of respect for organizing such a good tournament, even though it will have required a great deal of work.
Although there were moments of player excellence throughout the competition, I believe the two semifinals best captured the closeness of some of the elite teams. Seeing these young players perform bravely in front of large crowds while under such strain was enjoyable.
It’s difficult to imagine what the young fans watching must be thinking. For a ten-year-old child, it was undoubtedly an uplifting event. After all, it might be their goal to represent their nation on this platform in the future and a springboard to greater things.
From the ground, it was impossible to ignore the large throng of fans who were pouring through the gates. Even on weekdays, you noticed lots of families enjoying the grass banks. It was wonderful that some parents chose to bring their children along to see the activity.
Cricket is the most popular sport in South Africa. This kind of event draws people together and gives families lifelong memories that they will treasure.
It just seems more approachable and realistic to watch cricket played in your own backyard or across your nation than on television. You notice the players, the young men, and the opportunity that exists. It’s unique because of that. That’s the main purpose of the competition.
Moving on to the actual cricket, Australia and India both played incredibly well and deserved to be in the championship. Naturally, though, I was always watching South Africa closely and felt they were great. The match between them and India in the semi-final was excellent, and any team may have won. All things considered, the South African squad deserves to hold their heads high because they were among the best teams in the competition and they inspired pride in all the spectators.
Perhaps it was a little unfair in the end after those intensely contested semifinals, but you could see Australia’s quality. They were the most formidable squad overall, and that was evident in the championship game when they really needed a strong team effort. They had a solid skipper, four different fast bowlers who all bowled well, and other players who all came up big at different points during the competition.
Harjas Singh, for example, made a crucial half-century in the final; he hadn’t played in the best tournaments before, but he delivered when it counted. You shouldn’t depend too much on one or two players as a squad. Australia had more players they could rely on than the other semi-finalists, and the entire team had to contribute. And a strong team possesses that quality.
I always pay close attention to that discipline because I am a fast bowler, and I was quite impressed with the pace-bowling that was shown during the event. During the tournament, a lot of pacers made an impression, especially the Australian assault, which I felt worked effectively together. But I won’t name the players who I thought stood out so as not to put any pressure on them. There is still a long way to go for any of these athletes.
Without a doubt, every player who has recently represented his country in international competition would have greatly benefited from participating in this World Cup. They would have all gained a great deal of knowledge from competing in high-stakes competitions, such as knowing what to do during specific phases of matches and how to respond under duress.
Since I didn’t join the senior team via the U19 World Cup pathway, I didn’t have that until much later in my trip. After failing to make the squad, I made a concerted effort to complete every other level. And when I eventually made my breakthrough at the senior level, I was a stronger player as a result. That should serve as a helpful reminder to everyone that work never ends. The trip has only just started.
Of course, it’s equally critical to cherish the positive times. Therefore, I would strongly advise all of the players to pause and think back on the past four weeks. Joining an international U19 team is a huge honor and a significant step forward in your career. After that, simply carry on with your routine. For you to be the best version of yourself, things don’t need to change.
I aspire to play at the international level soon, both against and with some of you, so keep up the good work.
India
