DHAKA, Bangladesh, CMC – Underdogs West Indies Under-19s stunned favourites India by five wickets in a low-scoring final of the ICC Youth Cricket World Cup to crown themselves World champions for the first time in their history here yesterday.
Chasing 146 for victory at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, the Caribbean side was reduced to 77 for five in the 29th over before they was bailed out by a brilliant unbeaten half-century by Man-of-the-Match Keacy Carty getting home in the last over with a mere three balls to spare.
Carty stroked an unbeaten 52 off 125 balls with two fours and added a precious 69 in an unbroken sixth wicket stand with the consistent Keemo Paul who struck a busy 40 not out off 68 deliveries with a four and a six.
Entering the final over of the game with three runs needed, Paul got the winning runs when he charged seamer Khaleel Ahmed and top-edged a pull over the wicketkeeper for four, to spark wild celebrations in the West Indies camp.
“I feel very good right now. Words can’t even explain how I feel right now,” an overwhelmed Young Windies captain Shimron Hetmyer said.
“How the guys played today showed we were supposed to be champions today and we came out on top.”
The victory had earlier been set up by the irrepressible Alzarri Joseph who tore through the India Under-19s top order with a fine exhibition of fast bowling to send the Indians tumbling to 145 all out off 45.1 overs.
He claimed three for 39 from his 10 overs while seamers Ryan John (3-38) and Paul (2-17) provided excellent support as India faltered badly after they were sent in – crashing to 50 for five in the 18th over and never really recovering.
Sarfaraz Khan top-scored with 51 off 89 balls and Rahul Batham got 21 but they were just two of three batsmen to make it into double figures.
With just the fourth ball of the contest, India lost Rishabh Pant for one, thanks to great awareness on the part of wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach. The left-hander wandered from his crease after leaving alone a wide Joseph delivery and Imlach threw down the stumps, to send the batsman on his way with just three runs on the board.
In his next over, Joseph removed Anmolpreet Singh for three to a catch at the wicket with a delivery which bounced and swung away and India were slumping at 27 for three in the seventh over when the impressive Antiguan trapped captain Ishan Kishan for four with a full length delivery.
Washington Sundar lofted John to Joseph at mid-off for seven in the 15th over and Armaan Jaffer drove seamer Shamar Springer low to Keemo Paul at short cover for five in the 18th over, to leave India in chaos.
Sarfaraz counter-attacked, striking five fours and a six, and mounting the best stand of the innings – 37 for the sixth wicket with Mahipal Lomror who made 19.
New ball bowler Chemar Holder, whose 10 overs cost just 20 runs, removed Lomror to a catch at the wicket in the 30th over and Mayank Dagar (8) put on a further 29 for the seventh wicket with Sarfaraz before cutting John to backward point where Carty held a sharp catch going to his left.
His dismissal ended the resistance as the last four wickets fell for 29 runs in the space of 53 balls.
In reply, West Indies started shakily, losing both openers to slip to 28 for two in the eighth over. The in-form Gidron Pope slashed seamer Avesh Khan down the throat of third man to perish for three in the third over before Imlach jabbed one from Ahmed to Lomror at cover, to depart for 15.
Hetmyer, who scored 23, then combined with Carty in a positive third wicket stand of 39 to put the Windies back on course.
The left-handed Hetmyer faced 53 deliveries and struck a single four, and appeared in good touch before holing out to long-on off left-arm spinner Dagar who claimed three for 25.
Hetmyer was one of three wickets to fall for 10 runs in the space of 36 balls as India rebounded to blow the game wide open.
Springer (3) tried to go over the top with Dagar but only succeeded in picking out Armaan Jaffer at mid-off at 71 for four in the 27th over and Jyd Goolie (3) drove a knee-high return catch to Dagar next over, as the Windies lost their fifth.
However, Carty and Paul then capitalised on dropped catches to produce a sensible partnership and end any hopes India had of a dramatic victory.
Paul was dropped on 10 off Dagar at 96 for five and then again on 35 in the penultimate over from Lomror with West Indies requiring nine from the last two overs, while Carty was let off on 35 also off Dagar at 109 for five.
Paul, whose controversial run out against Zimbabwe in the group stage earned West Indies a spot in the knock-out round, then covered himself in glory by hitting the winning runs in the final over.
