When it comes to the Under- 19 Cricket World Cup, India is undoubtedly the most successful country, having won the trophy five times. This year, the Blues fared successfully yet again, defeating England in the ICC U-19 World Cup final at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua. The team led by Yash Dhull defeated the English team in the final match by four wickets. This win was heartwarming, as the team went on to extend their record amid COVID-19-related setbacks. In the first match of the tournament, India was pitted against South Africa, with the former winning by 45 runs as the young bowlers managed to beat the Proteas. It was definitely not an easy ride for the Indian team as six players, including captain Yash Dhull and vice-captain Shaik Rasheed, tested positive for COVID-19, before their second match against Ireland. Despite the team struggling to pick a playing XI, several players stepped in with impactful performances. The result: India put on a score of 307/5 and won the match by 174 runs. In the third match against Uganda, India scored its second highest total in the history of the U-19 World Cup, putting on 405/5, as they won the last group stage game by 326 runs. Stand-in captain Nishant Sindhu finished brilliantly in the absence of the captain, who recovered right before the Super League knockout matches. The quarter-final match was played against Bangladesh, where the team put up a strong performance. Dhull returned to the field, taking India to the semi-finals, as the team won by five wickets. During the semi-final match against Australia, the team got off to a shaky start, before Dhull and Rasheed partnered to pull off a rescue act. Australia eventually lost the match by 96 runs, making way for India to advance to the final where it would square off against England. India’s young pacers bowled first during the finals, putting England in a tough spot in the beginning. However, England recovered and later gave trouble to India. In a dramatic end, Dinesh Bana finished off in style with two consecutive sixes and took India to its fifth title. Prior to this year’s victory, India had won the title in 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2018. In 2000, the Mohammad Kaif led team chased a target of 179 and won the final against host country Sri Lanka, with 56 balls to spare. After losing to Pakistan in 2006, India lifted its second trophy in 2008 under the leadership of Virat Kohli, winning against South Africa in the final by 12 runs. In 2012, India defeated host country and defending champions Australia by six wickets, lifting its third title after a disappointing run in 2010. History repeated itself once again in 2018, when India bagged its fourth title by beating Australia by eight wickets. And finally, the 2022 final saw India claiming the trophy as theirs once again, this time with a hint of nostalgia for cricket fans as MS Dhoni had previously finished off with a six to seal the victory in the 2011 ICC World Cup final.
10 Apr 2022
Rupashree Ravi
