England welcomes knockout challenge after unbeaten run

Caleb Falconer said England felt confident about its coming Under-19 World Cup semi-final after winning all five matches played. The all-rounder welcomed the challenge and highlighted the range of contributors across the squad, rather than focusing on a preferred knockout opponent.

England had sealed qualification with a 65-run win over New Zealand in Bulawayo. Its semi-final pairing would depend on the final Super Six match between India and Pakistan, leaving either Australia or Afghanistan as the potential opposition.

Manny Lumsden’s five for seventeen against New Zealand lifted him to thirteen wickets from five appearances, the tournament’s leading tally at that point. The seventeen-year-old credited keeping the stumps in play on a surface with variable bounce.