India win ICC U19 World Cup for the fifth time
India defeated England in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Under 19 (U19) World Cup final at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium on Saturday to lift the trophy for a record extending fifth time.
Having previously won it in 2000, 2008, 2012, and 2018, the Yash Dhull led Indian side won the summit clash by four wickets.
Chasing 190 for victory, India got off to the worst start with opener Angkrish Raghuvanshi dismissed without scoring off Englands’s Joshua Boyden’s bowling on the third ball of the innings.
Harnoor Singh and Shaik Rasheed stood firm on the crease, putting up 49 runs for the second wicket. Just as India were gaining an edge, Harnoor was dismissed by Thomas Aspinwall leaving India at 49/2.
Rasheed was then joined by skipper Yash Dhull in the middle with both batters putting together a partnership of 46 runs with Rasheed scoring his half-century. He was however dismissed soon after by James Sales. Sales struck again in his next over to pick up the wicket of the Indian skipper who went after scoring 17 runs, leaving India at 97/4.
Still needing 93 runs for the victory, Raj Bawa and Nishant Sindhu held together the Indian innings and did not allow the loss of wickets in quick succession. In the end, India managed to overcome a resilient English side with four wickets in hand and clinch the U19 World Cup for the fifth time.
Raj Bawa had earlier taken five wickets while Ravi Kumar picked four to restrict England for just 189 inside 45 overs. England’s innings in the first half broke down completely with a 95-run knock from James Rew helping them to post 189 on the board.
Winning the toss and opting to bat first, England’s Jacob Bethell and Tom Prest were dismissed by pacer Ravi Kumar in the first four overs. Raj Bawa then dismissed George Thomas as India took control of the match.
England were 61/6 at one point with Rew still in the middle who batted on to reach his half century. Rew and James Sales put up a fifty-run partnership to revive England’s innings. Rew was dismissed agonizingly close to his century on 95 when he was removed by Ravi Kumar in the 44th over. The England innings faltered from there as the final two wickets fell in quick succession and India were handed a target of 190 for the win.
