India vs England, U19 World Cup 2022 Final: Five players to watch out for

After a stellar run in the tournament, the Indian colts are staring at the final hurdle as they face England on Saturday in the final of the Under-19 World Cup 2022.

Four-time champions India were favourites to reach the summit clash even before the start of the tournament, and the stockpile didn’t disappoint. India had a flawless run to the final despite being hit by Covid-19, which led to skipper Yash Dhull and his deputy Shaik Rasheed missing a couple of league fixtures.

But the Dhull-Rasheed duo put up an impressive display with the bat in the semi-final against Australia. The pair put on the second biggest partnership of the tournament, adding 204 runs for the third wicket. In response to India’s 290, Australia never got going. Spinner Vicky Ostwal picked three to bowl out the opposition for just 194.

Following their emphatic win over the Aussies, the Indian camp sets its sights on the fifth Under-19 World Cup title. An impressive track record in the showpiece event — four-time champions, seven-time finalists — highlights the structure of Indian cricket and the depth of its talent pool. England, on the other hand, are eyeing their first title since 1998. Like India, the Tom Prest-led England side have also maintained an unbeaten run in the tournament. A victory in the final will end finally end their silverware drought.

Yash Dhull

The Indian skipper’s name pops up in the mind when one thinks of match-winning performances in the ongoing tournament. Yash Dhull played a superlative 110-run knock in the semi-final against Australia, paving way for the team’s 96-run win. Apart from his batting prowess, Dhull has been exceptional with his field placements and bowling changes. With his 110, Dhull joined the elusive list comprising Virat Kohli and Unmukt Chand to become the third Indian skipper to hit a century in the biennial competition. He had also hit an authoritative 82 against South Africa and Dhull can perhaps etch his name into the record books if he scores a ton in the final.

Raj Bawa

His idol is former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and Raj Bawa looks like the next big thing in Indian cricket. The 19-year-old from Himachal was phenomenal against Uganda where he hit an unbeaten 162 to break Shikhar Dhawan’s 18-year-old batting record. Bawa became the highest individual scorer in a single innings for India in the tournament history. He stitched a colossal 206-run partnership with Angkrish Raghuvanshi as India posted a mighty 405 total on the scoreboard. Bawa has admitted that he used to copy Yuvraj’s batting technique in his early days. The left-handed batter will be looking to add another big score under his belt.

Tom Prest

England U19 skipper Tom Prest has got scores of 154* and 93 in the tournament. He’s led from the front with 292 runs at an average of 73. Another big score from the captain and England will finally end their U-19 World Cup title drought. The English camp was also the first one to confirm its spot in the quarters. Prest had scored 93 against Canada to steer his side to an imposing 106-run win over the opposition. Prest will look to handle the batting unit while Joshua Boyden aims to leave a mark with the ball. The left-arm pacer has already picked 13 wickets in the tournament at an average of 9.53.

Vicky Ostwal

Vicky Ostwal grabbed headlines with his match-winning show against South Africa in the opening game. The left-arm spinner picked up five while giving away just 28 runs, playing a key role in bundling the opposition for just 187 runs. He also put up an impressive show in the semis, adding three more wickets to his name. He has got 12 wickets to his name and needs just five more to become the joint-leading wicket-taker of the tournament. Dunith Wellalage of Sri Lanka currently tops the list with 17 wickets to his name. Ostwal and Kaushal Tambe will be given the job of muffling England in the middle overs.

Rajvardhan Hangargekar

From hitting monstrous sixes to delivering with the new ball, Hangargekar has done it all. The 19-year-old from Maharashtra showed a glimpse of his batting prowess against Ireland, hitting 39* off 17 in a blistering knock that comprised a four and five maximums. He’s also picked up five wickets so far in the tournament. His wide-ranging show has certainly drawn attention, with seasoned off-spinner Ravi Ashwin comparing Hangargekar to pacer Ishant Sharma. Ashwin has also predicted the young pacer to fetch big money in the upcoming mega-auction. Hangargekar has also played five List A and two T20s for Maharashtra.