Throwback: Exciting U19 World Cup matches that went down to the wire

The 15th edition of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup promises to be an exciting affair, much like the older iterations, as South Africa host 15 other teams from 19 January. 

As we build up to the tournament, here’s a look back at some of the most exciting games, from one-run humdingers to massive upset wins, the previous editions have thrown up.

South Africa v Nepal, 2004

Result: Nepal won by one wicket

Nepal threw up a big surprise in Chattogram in the 2004 edition of the tournament, when they toppled South Africa in a closely-fought contest. 

Asked to bowl first, Manjeet Shrestha and Paras Khadka took the new ball for Nepal and reduced South Africa to 37/5. A fighting half-century from No.9 Keagan Africa gave South Africa a decent total of 156.

Africa and Craig Alexander struck early with the ball, but skipper Shakti Gauchan held fort with a fine half-century from No.3. A late collapse saw Nepal go from 123/5 to 138/9, but Gauchan combined with No.11 Sashi Kesari to take Nepal home by one wicket with only two balls to spare.

Interestingly, Nepal went on to beat South Africa again in the next edition of the tournament in Colombo in the Plate semi-final. The two-run win was overcome by staving off Dean Elgar, who remained unbeaten on 66 in the run-chase.

New Zealand v Nepal, Plate Final, 2006

Result: Nepal won by one wicket

Nepal’s sensational tournament in 2006 saw them become the Plate Champions after they beat New Zealand in an edge-of-the-seat thriller in the Final. 

Opting to bat first, opener Todd Astle made a half-century as a New Zealand side, which included the likes of Martin Guptill, Tim Southee, Colin Munro and Hamish Bennett, put on 204. Basant Regmi was the star for Nepal with the ball as he picked up three wickets.

Regmi went on to play a crucial role with the bat too, walking in with his team in trouble at 75/6. A 70-run stand for the seventh wicket put Nepal back on course, but at 148/8, the game appeared dusted. 

Nepal came back with Regmi and No.10 Ratan Rauniyar putting up a good stand. Although Regmi was later dismissed, the last wicket pair took Nepal home with two balls to spare.

West Indies v Bangladesh, 2010

Result: West Indies win by one run

An all-round showing from present-day senior team player Yannic Cariah was the bedrock for West Indies edging Bangladesh by one run in a close game in 2010.

Contributions from Jermaine Blackwood, skipper Andre Creary and Shane Dowrich, aside from a 44 from Cariah, had helped West Indies to 249/8. 

In reply, Bangladesh struggled early on against a bowling unit that had the likes of Jason Holder, Jomel Warrican and Cariah. At 87/4, Sabbir Rahman walked in to change the momentum of the game. A crucial stand between Sabbir and Tasamul Haque kept Bangladesh in the game, but Cariah struck to remove Sabbir with the score at 187/6. 

Holder dismissed the dangerman Tasamul in the final over with Bangladesh just one run away from West Indies’ total. A run-out off the very next ball saw the Tigers finish on 248, one run short of a tie as West Indies snuck home by the barest of margins.

Pakistan v India, Quarter-Final, 2012

Result: India won by one wicket

In the crunch quarter-final game of the 2012 U19 World Cup, we witnessed a clash for the ages between India and Pakistan. 

A supreme all-round effort from Baba Aparajith, who made a fifty, took the big wicket of opposition skipper babar Azam and took four catches, saw India edge their arch-rivals by one run to advance to the semi-final and later clinch the title under Unmukt Chand.

In this quarter-final clash, Babar Azam’s fine fifty was the only solace for Pakistan’s ordinary batting effort that saw them bundled out for 136. 

But they fought back with the ball in Townsville, with Zia-ul-Haq, Azizullah and Ehsan Adil among the wickets. 

Zai-ul-Haq snared the big wicket of Aparajith with India’s score on 120. A complete harakiri followed as India slipped from 120/5 to 127/9 in less than five overs.

However, Harmeet Singh and No.11 Sandeep Sharma carried India home with a wicket to spare as India reached the semi-finals, breaking Pakistani hearts.

Australia v England, 3rd place play-off, 2014

Result: England won by one wicket

In the third-place play-off clash in 2014 between heavyweights England and Australia, a young Ben Duckett slammed a hundred in the run-chase as England edged Australia by a wicket.

In the memorable contest in Dubai, Australia made 246/7 with Matthew Short and Ben McDermott making valuable contributions. 

Australia reduced England to 131/5 but Duckett took them past the 200-run mark before Cameron Valente dismissed him to put Australia back in the game. 

Two more wickets fell in quick succession as England were down to 213/9, but Matthew Fisher and Josh Shaw put on an unbeaten 34-run stand to take England home with two balls remaining.

Afghanistan v Sri Lanka, Super League Quarter-Final, 2022

Result: Afghanistan won by four runs

Noor Ahmad starred in Afghanistan’s second run to the semi-finals of the U19 World Cup in the previous edition of the tournament. Having made the semi-finals in 2018, Afghanistan were in with a chance to do it again as they made the quarter-final in 2022.

Sri Lanka posed a big threat for them and it seemed like they were out of the contest when Vinuja Ranpul and Dunith Wellalage bowled Afghanistan out for 134.

Noor Ahmad, whose 33-ball 30 had given Afghanistan a late boost to their total, then bowled a miserly spell of 1/20 in 10 overs with the others also chipping in.

Sri Lanka were reduced to 43/7 before skipper Wellalage resurrected the innings with a fighting 34. Nangeyalia Kharote dismissed Wellalage with Sri Lanka on 112, and even some late runs wouldn’t stop Afghanistan from sneaking home by four runs in a humdinger.