South Africa achieved a historic milestone by scoring 397/5 against Tanzania in the 2026 ICC Men’s U-19 Cricket World Cup, marking their highest total in the tournament’s history. This remarkable feat was driven by centuries from captain Muhammad Bulbulia and Jason Rowles, surpassing their previous record of 359/6 against Namibia in 2012.
The duo’s exceptional performance included Bulbulia’s run-a-ball 108 and Rowles’ unbeaten 125 off 101 balls, featuring ten fours and five sixes. Their formidable 201-run partnership for the third wicket left the Tanzanian bowlers struggling. South Africa’s openers, van Schalkwyk and Lagadien, laid a solid foundation with quick contributions before Bulbulia and Rowles took charge.
Despite Bulbulia’s dismissal after his century, South Africa continued their aggressive batting display. James added a quick 46 off 18 balls towards the end, falling just three runs short of the 400-run mark. This dominant performance follows South Africa’s initial loss to Afghanistan, setting the stage for a challenging chase for Tanzania.
South Africa’s next match will be against West Indies in their final Group D game on January 22 at the same venue.
