Ravi Kumar, Sheikh Rashid and Nishant Sindhu also played a key role in the four-wicket win against England.
An utterly dominant India won a record fifth Under-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.
This victory was similar to the exploits of the world class Indian Under-19 teams of the past.
Fearless and hardworking in their approach, the success stories of Indian players also give a glimpse of the world’s most well-calibrated youth structure, capable of consistently producing world-class cricketers who are ready to face the biggest challenges ever. remain ready. ,
Reflecting India’s dominance, wicketkeeper Dinesh Bana completed the target of 190 runs with two sixes and 14 balls to spare.
Winning the toss in the big final, England captain Tom Purst decided to bat first to avoid “scoreboard pressure” during the chase. India did the next best thing: bowled out the opposition for 189 on aggregate, in this case in 44.5 overs – which failed to put them under pressure.
India were all over England before James Ray saved his team from blushing by scoring 95 runs.
Bowling to his medium pacers with lethal effect, Raj Bawa (5/31) made his way through the English middle-order after downplaying the opposition with two opening strikes from left-arm pacer Ravi Kumar (4/34). participated from
India kept taking wickets at regular intervals but the intensity of the team did not diminish even once.
At the close of 19 overs, Reeve and James Sells (34 not out) defied India with their 93 for eight, leaving the 1998 edition winners at 61 for six and then 91 for seven.
In reply, India lost Angkrish Raghuvanshi without a run on the board, but the extremely talented Sheikh Rashid scored 50 off 84 balls.
With his scintillating century in the semi-final against Australia, captain Yash Dhull fell for 17, but the pair of Nishant Sindhu (50 not out) and Bawa (35) put on a 67-run stand to take the team away from victory. Fifth wicket.
It has been an extremely challenging ride for the Indian team in this edition of the tournament as several players in the team were infected with the coronavirus and struggled to even field eleven fit personnel at one stage.
However, despite the major setbacks that almost derailed his campaign, India came back as a strong unit focused on doing the right things that were within its control.
Indian player Raj Bawa celebrates with his teammates during the Under-19 World Cup final against England in North Sound, Antigua on February 5, 2022. Twitter/@cricketworldcup
His clinical on-field performance told a very different story, a story far removed from all the troubles the team had to go through when seven players were infected with the virus.
India struck early in the second over when Ravi sent back the dangerous Jacob Bethel (2) cheaply. The Bengal man caught one inside and then caught his line as Bethel missed it completely after playing across the line.
The initial blow had no effect on George Thomas as he caught Rajvardhan Hangargekar for 14 runs from deep midwicket with two fours and a six in the very next over.
However, Ravi struck again, this time putting the Indians on top at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, dismissing Perst, who pulled the ball over his stump.
After failing to execute his pull shot, thanks to the bottom edge, Prest, who had earlier won a good toss, went back in the fourth over at 18 for two in the fourth over with his team disappointed.
Ravi scored 2/2 in the first two overs.
Despite the situation his team quickly found themselves in the big final, Thomas continued to attack and smashed two boundaries against Ravi.
With Hangargekar scoring 19 in his first spell, Dhul changed the bowling and it worked almost immediately, but Kaushal could not catch Thomas’ thick edge off Raj Bawa at tamper slips.
At that time England needed a partnership but it was not to be. Medium pacer Bawa got a well-set Thomas to play an irresponsible shot, which got a rough outside edge and came into the hands of Dhul over cover.
In all manner of trouble at 37 for three at the start of the 11th over, England’s desperate search for a partnership went unanswered, caught by William Luxton before England reached 50 by dismissing Bawa. .
Bawa was on a hat-trick as there was no answer to an excellent delivery from George Bell who kicked and took a deflection on the way to wicketkeeper Dinesh Bana.
With a half-side back in the dressing room in the 13th over, England Under-19 were looking at a massive defeat, their dream of winning their first world title in 24 years was rapidly going up in smoke.
There was no end to England’s misery as Rehan Ahmed dismissed Tambe to Bawa at first slip and left the team at 61 for six in the 17th over.
Bowling a tight line and length, India kept the pressure on England and it paid off when wicketkeeper Alex Horton tried to overtake off-spinner Tambe at midwicket, giving a simple catch to Dhull.
England were still seven runs short of reaching 100 at that stage, but they soon got there, with Ree scoring 50 off 79 balls. In the company of James Sales, he helped lead England to 189.