Ayush Mhatre Joins Virat Kohli In Elite List Of Captains After India's U-19 World Cup Win
Young Indian star Ayush Mhatre joined an elite list of five Indian stars, including Virat Kohli and Mohammed Kaif, as the sixth captain to win the ICC Under-19 World Cup title
Young Indian star Ayush Mhatre joined an elite list of five Indian stars, including Virat Kohli and Mohammed Kaif, as the sixth captain to win the ICC Under-19 World Cup title. Mhatre stepped up just when it mattered, while Suryavanshi saved his best for the very end, treating the crowd to a scintillating 80-ball 175. He rewrote the record books with each stroke, registering the second-fastest U19 World Cup century and smashing the most sixes in a U19 World Cup innings - a total of 15.
Mhatre had been struggling with the bat heading into the tournament, and his woes continued deep into the competition. However, with a half-century each against Afghanistan and England in the semifinal and final respectively, he delivered when it counted most. In seven matches, he scored 214 runs at an average of 30.57 and a strike rate of 113.22, including three fifties. He also took seven wickets at an average of 12.42, including a three-for against Pakistan.
Who Are The Ex-Captains To Win U19 World Cup
The skippers who have won the U19 World Cup title for India are Mohammed Kaif (2000), Virat Kohli (2008), Unmukt Chand (2012), Prithvi Shaw (2018), and Yash Dhull (2022). Kaif, Kohli, and Shaw have represented India at the international level, with Kohli being the most successful among them. Mhatre could be the next to earn an India cap, given that his attacking style of cricket aligns with the team's current philosophy, especially with the 2027 ODI World Cup and the 2029 ICC Champions Trophy ahead.
This 100-run win is the biggest in a U19 World Cup final. The previous best was Australia's 79-run victory over India in Benoni in 2024.
India's Dominating record
Since 2016, India has played 38 matches in the U19 World Cup, winning 35 and losing just three, with a win percentage of 92.1. The three defeats came in the finals of the 2016, 2020, and 2024 editions.
After opting to bat first, India posted a massive 411/9, courtesy of a record-shattering Vaibhav Suryavanshi masterclass (175 off 80 balls, with 15 fours and 15 sixes), a half-century from captain Ayush Mhatre (53 off 51 balls, with seven fours and two sixes), and a crucial knock from Abhigyan Kundu (40 off 31 balls, with six fours and a six). England lost an early wicket but recovered to 142/2 thanks to a fine knock from Ben Dawkins (66 off 56 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) and a partnership with skipper Thomas Rew (31 off 18 balls, with four boundaries and a six). However, they collapsed to 177/7 as the innings progressed. Falconer (115 off 67 balls, with nine fours and seven sixes) put on a spectacular display of power-hitting, but it was not enough, and England continue their title drought since the 1998 edition. They were eventually bowled out for 311, with the match aggregate of 722 runs being the highest ever in a U19 World Cup final.
India U19
Virat Kohli