Under 19, overthemoon: JuniorsclinchcricketWC
TITLE NO 4 Opening batsman Manjot Kalra scores unbeaten 101, coach Dravid earns praise NEW DELHI:
India won its fourth Under-19 Cricket World Cup, and India great Rahul Dravid won his first World Cup (across categories), with the team crushing Australia by 8 wickets to cap an unbeaten run in the tournament.
India cruised through the match, after bowling the Australians out for 216, with the only blip at the Bay Oval ground in New Zealand’s Mount Maunganui coming from a brief spell of rain. Still, it was in the fitness of things that even the rain never looked threatening enough to derail India’s march to a win.
The win proves India has a healthy pipeline of future cricketing talent – the Indian senior team’s captain, Virat Kohli, was captain of the team that won the 2008 U-19 World Cup – and that Rahul Dravid has lived up to expectations of being an excellent coach.
In the final, opening batsman Manjot Kalra completed an unbeaten 101, even as his teammates lined up on the boundary to begin celebrations. There was a minor scramble for stumps, with 15 young men vying for six sticks.
Dravid’s stamp has been clear from the build-up – from insisting that players get a feel of first-class cricket to sorting out technique.
India kicked off the campaign three weeks ago with a 100-run win over Australia, and the Prithvi Shaw-led team maintained the ruthless till the end.
This new-age Indian team confounded opposition with a potent pace attack led by Kamlesh Nagarkoti, a robust top-order where Shubman Gill was outstanding, and sharp fielders.
Reaching New Zealand two weeks in advance, the team was well acclimatized. India’s margin of victories speak of its dominance: 100 runs against Australia, 10 wickets against Papua New Guinea, 10 wickets against Zimbabwe, 131 runs against Bangladesh in the quarters; and 203 runs against Pakistan in the semis.
Three Indian batsmen – Manof-the-Series Shubman Gill, Kalra and Shaw – aggregated over 250 runs. Anukul Roy topped the bowlers’ tally with 14 scalps while fellow left-arm spinner Shiva Singh had a great economy rate of 3.23 across 40.5 overs.