DHAKA: West Indies is the new Champion of Under-19 World Cup. Playing wonderfully entertaining cricket West Indies Under-19 shocked favorite Indians in the low scoring final of ICC Under-19 World Cup.

Winning the toss under heavy sky and on a greenish wicket West Indies without any hesitation opted to bowl. Their strike bowlers Holder and Josef brilliantly responded rattling the Indians with paces and venomous movement.

India huffed and puffed reaching 145. West Indies were also not comfortable at 5/77. But very responsible and patient batting by Carty and Paul (unbeaten partnership of 69) earned them a major laurel from global tournament after a while.

West Indies won by 5 wickets with only three balls to spare. No words can accurately pen picture how brilliantly West Indies played the quarter final, semifinal and final. They were the deserving winners in all three matches.

Cricket is a funny game which sometimes the most informed and well-articulated analysts hesitate to forecast. There is nothing final and ultimate in cricket. The same West Indies team was comprehensively whitewashed in bilateral series against Bangladesh just before the tournament.

Indians on the other hand were far superior all round team. Yet proving all mathematics wrong West Indian Youths brought back the memory of Lords of 1983 when their senior team the then unconquerable team of all format was shocked by underdog India. That was India’s first World Cup .West Indies have never won world cup since then. Will this Under 19 world cup win revive Caribbean Cricket once again?

West Indian teenagers were not among the favorites neither were dark horse even. They struggled to qualify only just for the qualifying round. But once they were there they transformed into a completely different fish in the kettle.

On their way to the top they knocked out Pakistan rattling them with pace first and blasting them out with explosive batting. In the semifinal they broke the heart of home team and one of the tournament favorites Bangladesh playing smarter cricket than Bangladesh. In the final they were rank outsiders against favorite Indians.

The sky was heavy, the wicket had tinge of grass. Pacers love it and often overdo from excitement. But young Caribbean’s were awesome. The pace at which Josef and Holder were bowling consistently on a slightly juicy wicket could tease even senior players of sub-continental teams.

Indians were reduced to 5/50 by the 18th over. Pant, Kishan, Anmolpreet and Jaffer could not even reach double figure. Only Sarfraz withering storm was alone ploughing in the sand.

His painstaking 51 in 89 deliveries could only give some respectability to Indian score .Only two other batsmen Batham (21) and Lomror (19) could reach double figure .Extras 23 was the second highest contributor. Mighty Indians were disgraced by quality West Indian bowling and lively fielding. John (3/38) and Josef (3/39) were principal tormentors. But all other West Indian bowlers backed them up with tight bowling.

The 146-run was not a defendable total. West Indies caused the mental damage already. Yet the Indians could create some panic in the Caribbean camp send half of team back with 77 on board. But a very matured and responsible unbroken partnership of 69 between Carty and Paul earned them a very pleasing victory by 5 wickets.

Carty remained not out on 52 scored in 125 deliveries, Paul scored 40 in 68. Their passion, commitment and patience were exemplary even for West Indians as they hate to grind and graft. It was wonderful victory for West Indies.

Hope this win goes a long way in reviving Cricket in West Indian Islands which produced so many legendary players in the past.

Indians on paper and on the basis of their performance in this tournament were strong favorites. But on the day Dravid tutored kids had no answer to awesome West Indians.

BDST: 2053 HRS, FEB 14, 2016
RR