Australia's Tom Straker takes 6/24 against Pakistan: What are the best bowling figures in the U19 World Cup knockout stages?

On Thursday, Pakistan and Australia faced off in the second semifinal of the Men's U19 Cricket World Cup in Benoni, with both sides knowing a win would set up a summit clash with defending champions India.

Australia chose to bowl first and started well, dismissing openers Shamyl Hussain and Shahzaib Khan within the first ten overs. Regular strikes through the middle overs put the brakes on the scoring, and Pakistan finally scored 179 thanks to fifties from Azan Awais and Arafat Minhas.

Australian pacer Tom Straker was the star with the ball, as he took 6/24 in 9.5 overs, accounting for three of Pakistan's top four batters.

Australia's Tom Straker takes 6/24 against Pakistan: What are the best bowling figures in the U19 World Cup knockout stages?

Straker's figures were the third-best in the history of the tournament's knockout stages, as he became the fifth player to pick up six wickets or more in a do-or-die match.

The best figures ever in an U19 World Cup knockout game came in 2018. Australian leg-spinner Lloyd Pope took an unbelievable 8/35 against England in the quarterfinal that year, dismissing the likes of Tom Banton, Harry Brook and Will Jacks to almost single-handedly bowl them out for 96, and successfully defend a score of 127.

Straker's figures are the best-ever in an U19 World Cup semifinal. Two players have taken a five-wicket haul in the final; Pakistan's Anwar Ali in 2006 and India's Raj Angad Bawa in 2022.