Indian young cricketers created a new record by winning U-19 World Cup title here on Saturday, beating England by four wickets in the final of an extraordinary campaign that was almost derailed by a COVID-19 outbreak.
India defeated England by four wickets in the final of ICC U-19 World Cup 2022 for a record-extending fifth title at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua on Sunday.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has congratulated the Indian cricket team for winning the ICC U19 World Cup.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister said; “Extremely proud of our young cricketers. Congratulations to the Indian team for winning the ICC U19 World Cup. They have shown great fortitude through the tournament. Their stellar performance at the highest level shows that the future of Indian cricket is in safe and able hands.”
After India’s unprecedented fifth ICC U-19 World Cup win, National Cricket Academy (NCA) head VVS Laxman hailed the Yash Dhull-led team’s “resilience and positive attitude”.
“In the middle of this tournament, we all know what happened to the boys,” Laxman told the official broadcaster moments after Dinesh Bana hit the winning runs. “To test positive, but to show that kind of resilience and positive attitude, was exemplary.” Laxman accompanied the team to the West Indies for the tournament.
Indian colts, who overcame a COVID-19 outbreak, dismissed England for 189 in 44.5 overs with Raj Bawa (5/31) recording the best-ever figures in a U-19 World Cup final after Ravi Kumar (4/34) gave a dream start. India then chased down the target in 47.4 overs with Bana hitting back-to-back sixes to seal the win in style.
It was India’s eighth final with four on the trot. They had previously won the title in 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2018.
In a reflection of India’s dominance, wicketkeeper Dinesh Bana finished the chase of 190 with two sixes and 14 balls to spare. On winning the toss in the big final, England captain Tom Prest rightly chose to bat first to avoid the “scoreboard pressure” during the chase.
India did the next best thing: bowl out the opposition for a total — 189 in this case, in 44. 5 overs — that failed to put them under pressure. India were all over England before a gritty 95 by James Rew saved his team the blushes.
Bowling his medium pacers to deadly effect, Raj Bawa (5/31) ran through the English middle-order after the in-from left-arm seamer Ravi Kumar (4/34) laid the opposition low with two early blows.
Raj Angad Bawa won the player of the match award for his all-round show. He shone with the ball with a sensational fiver (5/31) before hitting a valuable 35 down the order to help India chase down the target with 2.2 overs to spare.
India kept taking wickets at regular intervals but not for once did the intensity of the team dropped.
For close to 19 overs, Rew and James Sales (34 not out) defied India with their 93-run eight-wicket stand, ensuring the 1998 edition winners recover from a horror 61 for six and then 91 for seven. In response, India lost Angkrish Raghuvanshi without a run on the board but the extremely talented Shaik Rasheed shone with a composed 50 off 84 balls.
Coming off his magnificent century in the semifinal against Australia, skipper Yash Dhull fell for 17, but the duo of Nishant Sindhu (50 not out) and Bawa (35) took the team within striking distance of victory with a 67-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Minutes after India’s four-wicket win against England in the final of the ICC U-19 World Cup 2022 for a record-extending fifth title on Sunday, the BCCI announced cash rewards for the victorious team led by Yash Dhull. (More Cricket News)
After losing the toss, the Indian colts dismissed their English rivals for 189 in 44.5 overs with Raj Bawa (5/31) recording the best-ever figures in a U-19 World Cup final. India then chased down the target in 47.4 overs with Bana hitting back-to-back sixes to seal the win in style.
BCCI secretary Jay Shah said that each player will be rewarded INR 40 lakhs, and every member of the support staff will receive INR 25 lakhs: “I’m pleased to announce the reward of 40 lacs per player and 25 lacs per support staff for the U19 Team India contingent for their exemplary performance in Under 19 World Cup Final. You have made India proud,” Shah wrote in a Twitter post soon after Dinesh Bana sealed the win with a six.
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly also took to Twitter to congratulate the team: “Congratulations to the under 19 team and the support staff and the selectors for winning the world cup in such a magnificent way ..The cash prize announced by us of 40 lakhs is a small token of appreciation but their efforts are beyond value .. magnificent stuff,” wrote the former India captain.
