South Africa bowler delivers Mohammad Amir-like ‘Fixing’ no-ball during match vs Afghanistan in ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026

Big drama at ICC Under-19 World Cup

A shocking moment turned heads during the 6th match of the ongoing ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026 in Windhoek when South Africa bowler Corne Botha bowled a massive no-ball to Afghanistan batter Khalid Ahmadzai that instantly sent cricket fans down memory lane.

Massive no-ball brings back Mohammad Amir memories at ICC U19 World Cup 2026

The incident happened in the 8.2 over of Afghanistan U19 team’s batting at the High-Performance Oval when Corne Botha overstepped heavily while bowling to Khalid Ahmadzai.

The no-ball was so big that it immediately reminded fans of former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir’s infamous no-ball from the 2010 Lord’s Test against England.

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The similarity at the ongoing ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026 sparked instant buzz on social media as Botha bowled exactly Amir’s spot-fixing no-ball, though South Africa U19 would be hoping that it should not be a deliberate move. However, the moment ended up reviving memories of one of the game’s most controversial chapters.

Cricket’s darkest fixing scandal at Lord’s

Going back to that scandal, Mohammad Amir’s no-ball at Lord’s is one of the darkest moments in cricket history. It was a clear and deliberate overstep, later exposed through a secret sting operation by a British newspaper.

An undercover reporter, posing as a bookmaker, paid agent Mazhar Majeed, who correctly predicted that Amir and Mohammad Asif would bowl no-balls at fixed moments. Both bowlers did exactly that on the field.

The scandal rocked world cricket, and Amir, Asif, and the former Pakistan captain Salman Butt were suspended and even sent to jail. However, Amir spent only six months in jail with Butt, and Asif serving 30-month and one year in jail sentences, respectively.

South Africa chose to bowl as Afghanistan steady at 96/1 after early blow

Earlier, South Africa U19 captain Muhammed Bulbulia won the toss and opted to field first against Afghanistan in their ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026 match in Windhoek. Afghanistan came into the game looking for a turnaround after a disappointing 2024 Under-19 World Cup in South Africa, where they failed to win a single group match and were eliminated early.

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They were eliminated from the group stage at the Under-19 Asia Cup. Despite this, Afghanistan has a strong history in the tournament, having reached the knockouts four times since their debut in 2010 and making the semi-finals twice at the ICC Under-19 World Cup.

On the other hand, the South Africa U19 team is aiming to go one step further after narrowly missing the title at home back in 2024. Currently, the Afghan team’s score stands at 96/1, with Khalid Ahmadzai and Faisal Shinozada batting patiently and brilliantly against South Africa after Osman Sadat fell cheaply to Buyanda Majola in the ongoing ICC Under-19 World Cup clash.

Teams for ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026 clash:

South Africa U19 Playing XI: Jorich Van Schalkwyk, Adnaan Lagadien, Muhammed Bulbulia (c), Jason Rowles, Armaan Manack, Paul James, Daniel Bosman, Lethabo Phahlamohlaka (w), Corne Botha, JJ Basson, Buyanda Majola

Afghanistan U19 Playing XI: Osman Sadat, Khalid Ahmadzai, Faisal Shinozada, Uzairullah Niazai, Mahboob Khan (w/c), Azizullah Miakhil, Khatir Stanikzai, Nooristani Omarzai, Abdul Aziz, Wahidullah Zadran, Hafeez Zadran