India dominated the Under-19 World Cup, overpowering their opposition by convincing margins of 100 runs (Australia), 10 wickets (Papua New Guinea), 10 wickets (Zimbabwe), 131 runs (Bangladesh), 203 runs (Pakistan) before winning the final against the Aussies by eight wickets.
It therefore doesn’t come as a surprise that the ICC’s team of the tournament includes five India players, with the top three batsmen from the victorious camp.
India captain Prithvi Shaw (261 runs), final centurion Manjot Kalra (252) and Shubman Gill (372) form the top order of the ‘Team of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup’.
India’s left-arm spinner Anukul Roy was the joint highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 14 scalps and found a spot in the side along with fast bowler Kamlesh Nagarkoti (9) who proved too quick for most batsmen.
Utter jubilation at Bay Oval as India celebrate their #U19CWC triumph! 🏆🎉🙌 pic.twitter.com/0rC8S3fQS7
— ICC (@ICC) February 3, 2018
India coach Rahul Dravid’s U19 World Cup-winning bonus almost twice as much as that of players
However, not a single player from the Australian camp found a spot in the team of the tournament despite making it to the final.
The top-scoring Australian in the tournament – Jason Sangha (229) runs – is 20th on the overall list of top batsmen at the U19 World Cup. Leg spinner Lloyd Pope, however, is seventh among top wicket takers with 11 wickets from five matches. In fact, an Aussie was not even named 12th man, that honour going to West Indies batsman Alick Athanaze who made 418 runs and was the top-scorer of the tournament.
South Africa’s Raynard van Tonder (348 runs) was named captain of the Team of the Tournament. The ICC explained its decision in a release by stating: “Van Tonder, who aggregated 348 runs in six matches including a highest score of 143 against Kenya, was selected to lead ahead of other captains for his better cricket acumen.”
ICC TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT
Prithvi Shaw (IND, 261 runs), Manjot Kalra (IND, 252 runs), Shubman Gill (IND, 372 runs), Finn Allen (NZ, 338 runs), Raynard van Tonder (SA, captain, 348 runs), Wandile Makwetu (SA, wk, 184 runs and 11 dismissals), Anukul Roy (IND, 14 wickets – spin), Kamlesh Nagarkoti (IND, 9 wickets – pace), Gerald Coetzee (SA, 8 wickets – pace), Qais Ahmad (AFG, 14 wickets – spin), Shaheen Afridi (PAK, 12 wickets – pace)
12th man: Alick Athanaze (WI, 418 runs)
