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Why India U19 vs South Africa U19 1st Youth ODI is not live on TV?

Akshita Patel

India U19 to compete vs South Africa for Youth ODI series [Source: @SportsCulture24/X.com]India U19 to compete vs South Africa for Youth ODI series [Source: @SportsCulture24/X.com]

The opening ODI between India U19 and South Africa U19 was expected to draw attention, especially with the U19 World Cup just days away. However, fans were met with disappointment as the match was not available for live broadcast.

The Youth ODI series kicked off at Willowmoore Park in Benoni. India batted first, and Harvansh Pangalia and RS Ambrish stitched a 137-run partnership to anchor the inning.

Star Sports is unable to broadcast IND vs SA U19 1st ODI

However, Star Sports, which was slated to telecast and stream the three-match Youth ODI series, confirmed that the live broadcast of the first ODI had to be dropped due to technical issues at the organiser’s end. 

In a brief statement, the broadcaster clarified that the problem was not on their side but related to the event’s production setup in South Africa.

At the heart of the issue is the lack of a reliable broadcast infrastructure for the series. Youth bilateral tours, unlike senior international matches or major ICC events, often operate with limited production budgets. 

These tours depend heavily on local organisers to arrange camera setups, transmission units, satellite uplinks, and feed delivery to international broadcasters. 

In this case, the technical arrangements required to generate and transmit a clean live feed were not ready in time. Hence, a live broadcast couldn't take place.

It is also unclear if the remainder of the series will be broadcast live or not.

Cricket South Africa steps in to the rescue

However, fans were not left completely in the dark. Cricket South Africa stepped in to provide a basic live stream on its official YouTube channel. 

While the stream may not match the polish of a television broadcast, it ensures that viewers can still follow the action. Even fans in India can access the stream on YouTube and watch the India U19 in action.