The International Cricket Council (ICC), on Monday, revealed the Team of the Tournament for the 2024 U19 World Cup, which ended on Sunday with Australia claiming their fourth title. The Aussies snapped five-time champions India’s unbeaten run in the summit clash in Benoni as they scripted a 79-run win.
Finalists India and Australia dominate ICC’s Team of the Tournament, with combined seven players featuring from the two sides. The 12-member team comprises four Indian players, three from Australia, two from South Africa and one each from West Indies, Scotland and Pakistan. Australia’s World Cup-winner skipper Hugh Weibgen has been picked as the leader of this team.
Tournament’s highest run-getter and India captain Uday Saharan, second-highest run-scorer Musheer Khan, batter Sachin Dhas, and U19 World Cup’s second-highest wicket-taker Saumy Pandey have made the cut.
Saharan played a vital role in India’s dominant run to the final, having scored consistently throughout the tournament and registering a century against Nepal. His best performance, however, came in the semifinal against South Africa, where he had combined with Sachin in a record 171-run stand for the fifth wicket to help India bounce back from 32 for four in the run chase. Sachin, the composed right-hander, also rightfully earned his place in the list, having scored a century as well in the Super Six game against Nepal.
Musheer, meanwhile, amassed 360 runs in seven matches at an average of 60y, with 2 hundreds and 1 fifty. Completing the lineup for India is Pandey, who picked up 18 wickets with his left-arm spin variety – the most by any spinner in the tournament. Twinned with a supreme ability to bowl economical spells, Pandey was phenomenal in the early stages of the tournament where he picked two four-fers against Bangladesh (four for 24) and New Zealand (four for 19).
From Australia, opener Harry Dixon and skipper Weibgen, who scored their respective 40 odds in the final against India, while stitching a 78-run stand en route to the team’s record total of 253 for seven, also made the Team of the Tournament. Fast bowler Callum Vidler joined the duo, having picked 14 wickets in the tournament at 11.71, two of which came in the final.
The team also featured U19 World Cup’s leading wicket-taker and Player of the Tournament, Kwena Maphaka, who finished with 21 wickets in six matches at just 9.71.
Team of the Tournament for U19 World Cup 2024
Lhuan-dre Pretorius (SA) (wk), Harry Dixon (AUS), Musheer Khan (IND), Hugh Weibgen (AUS) (captain), Uday Saharan (IND), Sachin Dhas (IND), Nathan Edward (WI), Callum Vidler (AUS), Ubaid Shah (PAK), Kwena Maphaka (SA) Saumy Pandey (IND), 12th man – Jamie Dunk (SCO)