Under-19 World Cup: West Indies Beat India to Win Maiden Title

By: Drcricket7 Staff

India lost the Under-19 World Cup final to West Indies by five wickets in a closely fought game in Mirpur on Sunday. While Sarfaraz Khan’s fifth half-century of the tournament gave the Indian colts a total to defend, Mayank Dagar’s three quick wickets to leave the opposition tottering on 77 for five kept the match hanging in balance.

However, a patient half-century by Keacy Carty (52* off 125) and Keemo Paul’s 40* (off 68 balls) helped West Indies overhaul the 146-run target with three balls to spare and lift the prestigious trophy for the first time.

Defending the 145-run target, pacer Avesh Khan gave India their first breakthrough in his second over. Opener Gidron Pope perished top-edging the ball to third man.

13 runs later, Tevin Imlach was bounced out by Khaleel Ahmed leaving West Indies on 28 for two. However, Shimron Hetmyer forged a 39-run stand with Carty to keep his side in an advantageous position. The pair played themselves in getting close to the target.

However, with the introduction of Dagar India got a foot in the door. The West Indian captain swung his bat at the spinner only to find Armaan Jaffer at long-on. Bowling in tandem, the left-arm spinner and offspinner Washington Sundar curbed the flow of runs as they looked to build pressure.

With runs hard to come by, Shamar Springer departed holing Dagar out to long-off. And in his next over the bowler brilliantly caught Jyd Goolie off his own bowling to keep India in the game.

Rishabh Pant’s dropped catch off Sundar gave Springer a life but that didn’t cost India much. Sarfaraz let off Paul on 10 off Dagar’s bowling and later Pant dropped Carty – a couple of missed that proved to be very expensive for the three-time champions.

Both the Windies batsmen – Carty and Paul bided their time at the crease as they unhurriedly scaled the low total. Making up for the chances afforded to them, the pair stood their ground stoically as they took ones and twos to build the crucial partnership.

After a couple of maidens that had kept them on 109 for five, Paul lofted Dagar for six in the bowler’s last over to release some off the pressure. The pair displayed maturity as they held their nerve to take their team across the line with an unbroken 69-run stand.

Earlier, the Indian batsmen were done in by the West Indies pacers – Alzarri Joseph, Ryan John and Springer, who left India on 50 for five after opting to bowl. It was once again Sarfaraz to India’s rescue – with an 89-ball 51 that helped the team past the three-figure mark.

He was involved in a 39-run stand with Mahipal Lomror and a 29-run partnership with Dagar as he worked to keep India in the fray. But with the lack of big partnerships and the middle-order batsman not getting enough support from the other end, India were bowled out in 45.1 overs.

While Pant was stumped, Anmolpreet Singh departed nicking Joseph to the wicketkeeper. While Ishan Kishan was trapped lbw by the fast bowler, Sundar hit a fuller delivery from John towards mid-off. With the Indian batsmen failing to offer resistance, wickets continued to tumble even as Sarfaraz worked to keep the innings afloat.

In the process he posted a record seventh half-century in the U19 World Cup going past West Indian Kraig Brathwaite, who has six. His knock was as crucial as Dagar’s three wickets that helped India make a match of it on the world stage.