U-19 World Cup: BCCI To Announce Cash Award For Rahul Dravid's Team

Acting president of Board of Control for Cricket of India (BCCI) CK Khanna on Tuesday said that the board will announce cash award for the Under-19 Team India players for reaching the final of the U-19 cricket World Cup. Khanna further added that the Indian players will also be felicitated. Khanna congratulated the Prithvi Shaw-led team for comprehensively beating arch-rivals Pakistan in the semi-final in Christchurch, New Zealand. Khanna said, "I would like to congratulate the entire team and coach Rahul Dravid for this performance. Rahul's contribution in guiding the Gen Next cricketers has been immense. Because of him we now have a talented pool of U-19 cricketers."

"The BCCI will announce cash awards and also felicitate the team," Khanna told PTI.

The Indian team beat Pakistan by a massive 203 runs to enter their sixth final of the tournament. India will now meet Australia in the summit clash on February 3. Australia had beaten Afghanistan by six wickets in the first semifinals on Monday.

Opting to bat first, India rod on Shubman Gill's 102 not out of 94 balls to pile on 272/9 in their allotted 50 overs and then bowled Pakistan out for a mere 69 in just 29.3 overs.

Gill, who was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 1.8 crore in the Indian Premier League players' auction, had hit a match-winning 86 in the quarterfinals against Bangladesh. He is the team's leading scorer with 341 runs.

The defeat was Pakistan's heaviest (in terms of runs) in a U-19 World Cup match.

For three-time champions India, seamer Ishan Porel grabbed four wickets for 17 runs while spinners Shiva Singh and Riyan Parag took two wickets apiece to rock the Pakistan run chase.

(With PTI Inputs)