Young South African prodigy's sibling shines in debut Youth ODI fifty, contributing significantly to SA U19's substantial victory
South Africa's Vihan Pretorius Shines in Youth ODI Tri-Series
In the ongoing Youth ODI tri-series, South Africa's Under-19 team is making waves, with standout performances from various players. One such player is Vihan Pretorius, the younger brother of South Africa's young cricketer Lhuan-dre Pretorius.
Vihan made his debut in the Under-19 team just a week after his older brother earned his South Africa cap. His first appearance was in the Youth ODI series against Bangladesh in July 2025. Since then, he has shown promising progress and contributions in batting and partnerships during the matches.
In the third match against Zimbabwe, Vihan scored his maiden U19 fifty in a winning cause. This performance is one of the best bowling performances in the Youth ODI tri-series, as Bandile Mbatha also delivered a five-wicket haul against Zimbabwe in the same match. Mbatha's impressive figures read 5-16 off seven overs, contributing to Zimbabwe's all-out for 77.
Pretorius's breakthrough performance came in a crucial innings where South Africa was in trouble at 45-5. He stabilized the innings and pushed the score to 82-5 before wickets continued to fall. In the same match, Muhammad Bulbulia scored 75 off 68 balls, while Adnaan Lagadien and Daniel Bosman scored 53 and 54* respectively, both hitting fifties.
This is the 17th instance of four individual fifties in a Youth ODI innings, joint-most in the format's history. The record (278 runs) also came against Zimbabwe, in the opening match of the tri-series.
Despite missing the starting XI in South Africa's first two matches of the Youth ODI tri-series against Zimbabwe U19 and Bangladesh U19, Pretorius got his chance in the third match against Zimbabwe. He scored 13 in that match and followed it up with a 21 not out against Bangladesh.
In the Youth ODI against Zimbabwe on August 8, South Africa posted 303-6, with Vihan Pretorius scoring a 52 off 57 balls, marking his maiden Youth ODI half-century. This victory is South Africa's second-highest win margin when batting first, with a 226-run victory.
As the Youth ODI tri-series continues to feature hosts Zimbabwe U19, fans can look forward to more exciting performances from South Africa's Under-19 team, with Vihan Pretorius being a key player to watch.
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Sports enthusiasts can find the latest news on Vihan Pretorius' impressive performance in the ongoing Youth ODI tri-series on our website. This Young South African cricketer is making headlines with his recent engagements in cricket, contributing to the sports category.
