ICC Under-19 World Cup – Rising Cricket Star
The ICC Under-19 World Cup is an international cricket tournament of tremendous scale, organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). This tournament, which began in 1988 and has been held every two years since 1998, sees sixteen teams from around the world compete for cricket supremacy. Since its humble beginnings with just eight participants, cricket nations have been vying for the champion title. India have a record five wins over the years whilst Australia have won three times, and Bangladesh, England, South Africa and the West Indies all being champions once each. Sri Lanka and New Zealand have made it to tournament finals as well. The most recent championship was won by India after they succeeded over England in a hard-fought battle. The ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup continues to be one of cricket’s premier events for emerging talent.
History of ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup
First competition
The inaugural McDonald’s Bicentennial Youth World Cup, hosted in 1988 as part of Australia’s bicentenary celebrations, was cricket at its finest. Taking place in both South Australia and Victoria, the tournament featured teams from seven test-playing nations and the International Cricket Council’s Associates XI in a round-robin format. After displaying outstanding form throughout, Brett Williams’ unbeaten hundred enabled Australia to outshine Pakistan at the final match to take home a five wicket victory and ensure their spot in the semis. England and West Indies were also finalists while India – after an impressive win against England – failed to advance due to four consecutive defeats. The tournament is not just notable for the cricket talent it highlighted but also for the number of future international stars who were first presented with the opportunity to showcase their skills on such a grand stage.
1998
England’s cricket team weren’t expected to be victorious at the 1998 Under-19 World Cup in South Africa. Yet the nation won the second tournament of its kind and were celebrated as unexpected heroes. The event had originally taken place ten years prior, but was re-launched as a biennial tournament with nine test-playing nations and teams from countries such as Bangladesh, Kenya, Scotland, Ireland, Denmark, Namibia and Papua New Guinea joining in. Arrayed into four pools named after cricket legends Gavaskar, Sobers, Cowdrey and Bradman the top two teams from each advanced to Super League pools whose eventual winners progressed to the final. To ensure no one was excluded cricket was still enjoyed by all; however, those who didn’t make it though played in a Plate League where Bangladesh emerged triumphant after beating West Indies in the final.
After 2000
The 2000 cricket tournament was a much-anticipated event due to the format being replicated from 1998 and the inclusion of eleven nations. Despite Sri Lanka’s home advantage, it sadly fell short of the final stage – losing to a dominating Indian side who were unbeaten throughout the competition. This Indian supremacy was further highlighted when they breezed past Australia in the semi-finals with a 170 run victory; a true testament to their skill and prowess. On the other side of this exciting competition, Pakistan and Sri Lanka delighted 5,000 cricket fans with a realistic chance of progression at Galle. Three Asian nations participating in the semi-finals was evidence that cricket is indigenous to the continent and perhaps gave them an edge in understanding local conditions – though it did not detract from Pakistan’s experience playing cricket on an international level.
After 2000
The fourth Under-19 cricket World Cup, held in New Zealand, reaffirmed Australia’s power in the sport. In their opening match against Kenya, the team secured a remarkable victory of 430 runs that sent a clear signal of their aptitude. From then onward and culminating with their comprehensive win over South Africa in the final, no other nation could put any pressure on them whatsoever. Cameron White – the gentle but strong leader of this group – was praised for his capabilities as a captain; he also contributed with 423 runs at a staggering 70.50 average rate. What’s all the more impressive about their championship run is that there were only two seamers and four slow bowlers used during the tournament; Xavier Doherty was one such bowler who amassed 16 wickets with an impeccable 9.50 average score – not to mention no wides were ever given out by him! On another note, India – the reigning champions – did not present much muster either during their semi-final fixture against South Africa.
The 2004 cricket tournament was one for the books. Held in Bangladesh, more than 350,000 spectators attended the 54 matches. A major highlight of the event was the finale between West Indies and Pakistan that was won by Pakistan by a close 25 runs. This victory was met with overwhelming jubilation from the 30,000-strong crowd that almost seemed to take winners Pakistan as their own. To further shock cricket fans everywhere, Australia – being holders of the competition – were eliminated during the group stage when Zimbabwe’s Tinashe Panyangara delivered an impressive 6 wicket haul which left Australia bowled out at 73 and marked second best figures in history for this contest. When they later faced Bangladesh in the plate final amongst thundering drums and ecstatic cheers, they were yet again foiled in their attempt to reclaim glory. Unfortunately, many found fault with aspects such as uninspiring cricket displayed across some lackluster pitches; however, this did not stop cricket fanatics around the world from enjoying one of cricket’s biggest tournaments yet!
Cricket fans around the world experienced a thrilling two weeks of cricket at this tournament, which came to an exciting conclusion with Pakistan’s triumph over India. The cricket displayed by Pakistan and India was unparalleled and no one could have predicted their nail-biting final. After Pakistan crumbled to 109 runs their bowlers managed to reduce India to 9 for 6, leaving them no chance of victory at the Premadasa Stadium. Nasir Jamshed and Anwar Ali were two cricketing stars of the tournament, playing integral parts in the Pakistani side’s success. Along with Australia and England, who also exceeded expectations in this competition and surpassed Bangladesh who hosted the previous event, cricket enthusiasts all over the world watched as these teams battled it out in an unforgettable tournament finale.
The 2008 Under-19 Cricket World Cup was a momentous occasion for cricket as it was the first time the tournament was held in an Associate Member country, Malaysia. For 15 days, cricket fans across three cities got to witness 44 thrilling matches between 16 teams from all over the world. India had reason to be upbeat, being led by Tanmay Srivastava whose aptitude with the bat eventually made him the tournament’s leading run-getter; however, both Australia and England met a better fate than expected, unable to overcome their respective opponents whilst dispatching of their weaker counterparts effortlessly. Defending champions Pakistan went into their semi-final match against South Africa needing to chase a score of 261; luckily they were able to do so but gave cricket lovers some tense moments along the way. Finally, New Zealand benefited greatly from having Pakistan reach that stage and going forward secured themselves a place in the finals due to bonus points earned before hand. All in all, this historic edition of cricket created great memories for fans around the world.
After 2010
The 2010 Under-19 Cricket World Cup was held in New Zealand in January 2010, after the International Cricket Council (ICC) controversially took it away from Kenya on the flimsiest of reasons and barred them from participation. This decision had drawn sharp criticism as it effectively snubbed its own efforts to expand cricket’s fan base. Despite making all the necessary logistical preparations, New Zealand’s hosting job was hampered by poor crowd turnout during the group stages, that ultimately featured tediously predictable results; the better-funded cricket nations dominating proceedings. Spectators enthusiasm finally spiked when South Africa defeated Australia in a gripping match, as well as West Indies beating England and Sri Lanka succeeding against India in the quarter-finals which marked a turning point for an otherwise lukewarm tournament.
The 2012 Under-19 Cricket World Cup was an epic cricketing event held in the Tony Ireland Stadium, Australia. Not only did 10 test playing nations participate, but Afghanistan, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Ireland, Scotland and Namibia were also part of this amazing tournament. After dominating every round leading up to the final, Australia faced a surprising defeat against India on 26 August 2012. Their lost meant that India tied with Australia in having most title wins of the U19 World Cup – their third title win overall. Sri Lanka showed immense cricketing prowess despite not making it to the last eight but nonetheless went on to dominate the Plate championship defeating Afghanistan by 7 wickets. England’s Reece Topley clinched the award for highest wicket taker while Bangladesh’s Anamul Haque took home the title for top run getter. In what came down to a thrilling match between India and Australia, it was India that triumphed in the end with 14 balls left and 6 wickets remaining thanks to a match winning knock of 111* not out from captain Unmukt Chand who hit 6 sixes and 7 fours during his 130 ball innings.
The 2014 Under-19 World-Cup, held in Dubai (U.A.E.), attracted a lot of attention due to cricket history in the making. U.A.E. hosted an ICC event for the first time and Afghanistan, a non-full member, qualified for the Quarter Finals – this being the second time that a non-test playing nation achieved this feat since Nepal did it in 2000. India, however, shook things up by fighting their way through to the Quarter Finals but inevitably falling prey to England in the final over. England then made cricketing waves with their march towards their first semi-final berth after four editions, though Pakistan eventually triumphed en route to their fifth Under-19 Final – making cricketing history yet again as the first team to do so. South Africa was crowned champions of 2014 cricket with a comprehensive win against Pakistan in the finals fittingly turning U.A.E.’s debut as hosts into one wild and unforgettable experience!
The 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup was an exciting and unpredictable tournament, held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was the eleventh edition of the Under-19 World Cup, and saw some unexpected results that shook up traditional cricket order. Australia withdrew from the tournament citing security reasons, while defending champions South Africa shockingly got eliminated in the group stage after two consecutive losses to Bangladesh and Namibia. Nepal and Namibia were able to qualify for the Super League/Quarterfinals for the first time ever, bringing a new wave of hope to non-test playing countries around the world. The West Indies defeated India by five wickets in the thrilling final match to finally capture their first title. Bangladesh’s captain Mehedi Hasan ended up taking home Player of the Tournament honors while England’s Jack Burnham and Namibia’s Fritz Coetzee emerged as leading run scorers. All-in-all, it was a historic tournament that showed us newer teams can compete on bigger stages with plenty of success.
The 2018 Under-19 World Cup was an epic final chapter to a long and exciting tournament which began in New Zealand on the 13th of January. India and Australia faced off in the final at Mount Maunganui on 3 Feb 2018 and it looked to be a close game. However, Manjot Kalra’s impressive 101* runs, coupled with some tight bowling from India under the captaincy of Prithvi Shaw was enough to secure victory over Australia by 8 wickets, India now holds the most wins record in Under-19 World Cup! The Man of the match was awarded to Manjot Kalra and Shubman Gill took home Player of the Tournament. Rahul Dravid, head coach at that time of this remarkable India Under-19 Team later became head coach for India national cricket team almost two years later in November 2021.
The 2020 Under-19 World Cup offered thrilling cricket action as it was played in South Africa, the venue of the thirteenth edition and second in the country. The final match between India and Bangladesh didn’t disappoint either, as a close game ensued with Bangladesh emerging victorious at Potchefstroom on 9 February 2020. With this narrow 3-wicket win, Bangladesh created history by being crowned champions of the ICC U-19 World Cup for the very first time. India won the toss and chose to bat first, compiling 177 runs before being bowled out. However, Bangladesh made its mark right from the start, having put up 55 runs in 10 overs while losing only 1 wicket. Despite taking four quick wickets due to Ravi Bishnoi’s leg spin bowling, their opponents fell just short of achieving victory at 163/7 off 41 overs with 15 runs still needed. This concluded a nail-biting match that saw Bangladesh eventually rise triumphant!
After 2020
The West Indies hosted the 14th edition of the Under-19 Cricket World Cup and it did not disappoint. In the grand finale between India and England, India took home the win and secured their fifth ICC U-19 World Cup victory, which was the maximum by any country. England put up a good fight but eventually were all out at 189 runs in the first innings. On reflection, India managed to secure an answer to this challenge with just 4 wickets down, leaving them 4 runs off England’s total. Yash Dhull collected the trophy on behalf of India from Sir Richie Richardson, making him the fifth Indian captain to take home a winning title after Mohammad Kaif, Virat Kohli, Unmukt Chand and Prithvi Shaw. The highest scorer of tournament was awarded to Dewald Brevis of South Africa who accumulated the most number of runs throughout proceedings.
ICC Women’s Under-19 World Cup
The ICC Under-19 Women’s Cricket World Cup is an exciting event for the world of cricket. Held for the first time in January 2023, this international tournament is played between national women’s under-19 teams and allows players from different countries to compete at a global level. Matches during this tournament are held in the Twenty20 cricket format and bring together some of the best players around the world to show off their talents and put on a great display of skill and sportsmanship. India emerged victorious in the inaugural tournament by defeating England in an intense final game that kept everyone watching on their seat edges! With such a successful completion of this first edition, it’ll be interesting to see which country will take home the trophy next year.
Where can I watch information about the Under-19 World Cup?
If you are a cricket enthusiast, the International Cricket Council (ICC) website and cricket forum are invaluable resources for the most up-to-date information. Here you can find news about players, teams, and events in the world of cricket, along with related posts from followers all over the world. With ICC TV and their YouTube channel, you can also watch all of your favorite games live if you’re not able to make it to the stadium. Whatever your reason for following cricket, there are multiple resource available to get all of your cricket news in one place!