INDIA won the U-19 world cup CRICKET

India produced a remarkable performance in a rain-interrupted final to beat South Africa by 12 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method for their second ICC Under-19 World Cup since 2000 at the Kinrara Oval in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday night.

The Indians owe much of their victory to the swashbuckling batting showmanship of Tanwar Srivastava whose 46 runs came at a time when they were certainly looking for some form of divine intervention to pull through as they crawled to 159 in 45 overs and a masterful bowling effort from openers Pradeep Sangwan (0-14) and Ajitesh Argal (2-7) and an equally strong support from spinners Ravindra Jadega (2-25), Siddharth Kaul (2-26) and Sayyed Abdullah Iqbal (0-12) that crippled the South Africans back.

“It’s definitely a big victory for us and I dedicate this win to my late father who passed away in 2006. It has been a team effort and I compliment all my fellow team-mates especially the good job done by the bowlers,” said Indian captain Virat Kohli at the post match press conference.

Set a victory target of 160 runs in 50 overs and later revised to 116 in 25 overs due to the two-hour rain stoppage, it has been a challenging moment for the South Africans when the second innings resumed at precisely 9.05pm – leaving more than 6000 fans at the edge of their seats.

South Africa had slumped to 17-3 before the first drop of rain fell on the Oval but failed to get started on an aggressive note as the Indian bowlers and fielders did everything possible to stop the junior Proteas from getting anywhere near the revised target of 116..

Still needing 99 runs to win, Reeza Hendricks and Jonathan Vandiar took off from where they had left before the rain and were in for a further shock 12 balls later when off-spinner Ravinda Jadeja bowled a superb line and length ball which edge the outside of Vandiar’s bat and into the gloves of the quick wicketkeeper Shreevats Goswami as the South Africans slumped further down to 22-4 in the 10.3 over.

Hendricks and skipper Wayne Parnell than prodded along but despite two dropped chances and a missed stumping, the duo could not make much breakthrough and were contented with taking singles and twos’ added 50 runs for the fifth wicket before Hendricks fell just when South Africa needed him to carry on at a crucial time for 35 runs off 43 balls (72-5), still needing 44 in the last five overs.

Roy Adams was next to go, trapped leg before by Kaul as the South Africans added four more runs (75-6) and it was left to Parnell to see them through. However, it was an uphill battle for Ray Jennings boys as at the 24th over the South Africans still required to score 19 runs from six balls and when Parnell fell at 102 – everyone knew the Indians are well on their way to the second win in the World Cup. They could only post 103 at the end of the 25th over and the Indians celebrated, joined by equally excited fans.

Earlier in the day, a maiden from Parnell in the first over spelt a gloomy start for India with the exception of Srivastava as they found the going tough and never really had it in them to get back on track.

Srivastava had prevented a complete disaster as Parnell and Matthew Arnold broke through the Indian top order, dismissing openers Taruwar Kohli (1) and Goswami (6). Taruwar did not learn from his semi-final performance against New Zealand as he top-edged a lame pull from wide outside off stump off Parnell while Goswami edged and prodded his way to six off 25 balls, showing his discomfort against anything not full, and then edged Arnold to second slip, leaving India at 27-2 in the 10th over.

Parnell, playing in his second Under-19 World Cup, mixed the bouncers well with the swing, while Arnold bowled the fastest spell of the tournament, troubling the left-handers from round the stumps. Srivastava and Virat put India on the comeback track with a 47-run third-wicket partnership before Sybrand Engelbrecht’s mid-air dives rocked the Indians. He had Srivastava and Kohli dismissed with similar catches. Saurabh Tiwary (20) and Manish Pandey (20) were the last men standing as the Indians were finally dismissed for 159 in 45 overs.