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Team India secured their sixth ICC Under-19 World Cup title, continuing their domination at the age-group cricket level. Not only did these young Boys in Blue, led by Ayush Mhatre, receive a trophy, but they also showcased how collective effort at its best pays off.
Team India had multiple players step up and raise their hands at every stage of the tournament. Every match witnessed a new star in the making. While Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre were already grabbing eyeballs due to their exploits in last year's Indian Premier League (IPL), new stars emerged in every match, demonstrating that the team is much more than these two. Several inspirational stories of struggle, resilience, and audacity also emerged in every match. In the first match against the USA, Henil Patel (5/16) reduced the USA to 107, and India started off the campaign with a win. He got the 'Player of the Match' award. In the Bangladesh clash in the group stage, while Suryavanshi (72) and Abhigyan Kundu (80) half-centuries took India to 238 all out, it was a sensational spell from Vihaan Malhotra (4/14 in four overs) that made headlines, as it caused Bangladesh to collapse from 124/3 to 246 all out. Vihaan took home the 'Player of the Match' award. The final group stage clash against NZ saw all-rounder RS Ambrish (4/29) bundle out NZ for just 135, and India won by the DLS method. Ambrish walked away with the POTM award, with skipper Ayush Mhatre (53) coming among the runs during the run-chase after a struggling period with the bat. India's Super Six started with a bang as a classy 107-ball 109 from Vihaan and fifties from Abhigyan Kundu (61) and Suryavanshi (52) took India to 352/8, before three-fers from Uday Mohan (3/20) and Ayush Mhatre (3/14) and two wickets from Ambrish took India home. Vihaan won the second POTM award. The clash against arch-rivals Pakistan saw a new star emerge in Kanishk Chouhan, whose late flourish of 35 in 29 balls, with four boundaries and a six took India from 200/7 to 252, with Vedant Trivedi cracking a valuable 68 at the top. Pakistan folded to 194 all out from a dominant spot of 151/2 at one point, with Khilan Patel (3/35), Mhatre (3/21) being the top wicket takers and Kanishk's spin exerting pressure with a 10-over spell of 1/30, giving him the POTM honours for an all-round show. In the semifinal against Afghanistan, India was tasked with chasing down 311 set by Afghanistan, courtesy centuries from Faisal Shinozada (110) and Uzairullah Niazai (101). However, opener Aaron George (115 in 104 balls, with 15 fours and two sixes) and Vaibhav Suryavanshi (68 in 33 balls, with nine fours and four sixes) replied with a brilliant counter-attacking 90-run stand for the opening wicket. It made things easy for half-centurion Mhatre, Vihaan (38*) as the target was chased with seven wickets and 8.5 overs left. Aaron took home the POTM award. The title clash against England saw Suryavanshi batting like a man possessed, slamming a 53-ball ton, the second-fastest in tournament history and ending with a fine 175 in just 80 balls, with 15 fours and 15 maximums, with the most sixes in a U19 WC innings, taking his six count to a whooping 30. Mhatre also chipped another fifty. Vedant (32), Vihaan (30) kept the scores ticking while Abhigyan (40 in 32 balls, with six fours and a six) and Kanishk (37* in 20 balls, with three fours and a six) gave India a final flourish, taking them to a record 411/9. In the chase, while England had its moments, it collapsed from 142/2 to 177/7, and a counter-attacking 115 from Caleb Falconer could not prevent a 100-run loss for England. Ambrish (3/11) delivered another fine bowling performance, with Kanishk and Deepesh Devendran getting two apiece. Suryavanshi finally got the POTM award all waited for. There were six different 'Player of the Match' awards, but there were stars made even if they did not receive these individual honours. Let us look at key contributors to India's success: -Vaibhav Suryavanshi: 439 runs in seven innings at an average of 62.71 and a strike rate of over 169, with a century and three fifties (2nd-highest run-getter) -Vihaan Malhotra: 240 runs in seven innings at an average of 60.00, with a century (ninth-highest run-getter) and five wickets at an average of 5.80. -Abhigyan Kundu: 239 runs in five innings at an average of 59.75 and a strike rate of 87.54, with two fifties (10th highest run-getter). -Ayush Mhatre: 214 runs in seven matches at an average of 30.57 and a strike rate of 113.22, with three fifties and seven wickets at an average of 12.42. -Kanishk Chauhan: 113 runs in five innings at an average of 37.66, with a strike rate of over 116, best score of 37* and seven wickets at an average of 36.42, with best of 2/55. -Henil Patel: 11 wickets at an average of 17.72 in seven matches, with a five-for. -RS Ambrish: 11 wickets in seven matches at an average of 20.63, with a four-fer. -Khilan Patel: 9 wickets in seven matches at an average of 30.77, with best figures of 3/35. (ANI)
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