New Delhi: India won the Under-19 cricket World Cup on Sunday defeating South Africa by 12 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method in a rain-reduced final at Kinrara Academy Oval in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).
The start of the match was not great for India as they lost their openers quickly after being put in to bat by South African skipper Wayne Parnell.
In-form left-arm batsman Tanmay Srivastava came to his team’s rescue and pulled the innings back on track with a well-made 46, as the South Africans were sent on a leather-hunt.
But soon some trademark electrifying fielding by the South Africans took the game away from India.
First Sybrand Engelbrecht pulled off a blinder to send back skipper Virat Kohli for 18, and then he took another stunner to end Srivastava's fine knock.
And though the lower order did try the long handle, it wasn't long before they collapsed like a pack of cards. India were finally bowled out for 159 runs in 45.4 overs.
South Africa needed a good start but got just the opposite with Ajitesh Argal's medium pace getting the first couple of wickets and a run out left South Africa wobbling on 11/3.
But then the rains intervened and the target for South Africa was revised to 116 runs in 25 overs.
They needed 99 runs more in 98 balls to win the World Cup but the Indian spinners bowled a tight line and length to choke the South African run chase as the asking rate climbed to nearly 10 an over mark.
The South Africa colts just like their senior team failed to rise on the big occasion and could score only 103/8 in 25 overs to end as the runners up for the second time. South Africa had lost to Australia in the final of the World Cup in 2002 also.
Ajitesh Argal was the Man of the Match for his two wickets for just seven runs that turned the match in India's favour after they were bowled out for just 159 runs.
The win is the second time that India have won the Under-19 cricket World Cup. The first time India won the World Cup was in 2000 in Sri Lanka when they defeated the hosts by six wickets.
Reacting to the news, Tanmay Srivastava's mother said, "I'd full faith in my son. I knew he will get the World Cup home."
The parents of another member of the team, Saurabh Tiwary, were also delighted with the win.
"I am very happy that my son is in the team which has won the World Cup," Sunil Tiwary, father of Saurabh, said.
President Pratibha Patil also congratulated the youngsters and said that the team showed consistency throughout the tournament.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India President Sharad Pawar announced a reward of Rs 15 lakh for each player of the team.
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