Bangladesh shock India to win maiden U-19 World Cup title

Potchefstroom: A sprightly bunch of Bangladesh boys created history by winning their country's first global cricket title, shocking defending champions India by three wickets in the summit clash of the ICC U-19 World Cup here on Sunday. In a low-scoring final, Bangladesh first choked India to a meagre 177 in 47.2 overs and then did well enough to score revised target of 170 in 42.1 overs under Duckworth-Lewis method.

Once play resumed after rain, the target was revised to 170 and with seven runs to get and three wickets in hand, it became a cakewalk for the 'Tiger Cubs' as they scripted a golden chapter in their country's cricket history.

India's cricketing battles with Bangladesh have been filled with acrimony since the 2015 World Cup quarter-final at the MCG and it had only amplified with the kind of boorish behaviour that some of the Bangladeshi players displayed.

On Sunday also, a few players from both sides nearly came to blows at the end of the game and it was India coach Paras Mhambrey, who was seen urging his boys to keep calm as opposition leading pacer Shoriful Islam was seen swearing expletives on camera.

Even then, credit should go Bangladesh's 18-year-old captain Akbar Ali, who showed nerves of steel with a patient 43 not out off 77 balls, which negated more fancied opponent Yashasvi Jaiswal's 88 off 121 balls.

Akbar's cool quotient was there for everyone to see as he marshalled his resources brilliantly and then batted responsibly. There were two things that cost India dearly. While batting, India lost their last seven wickets for 23 runs. And then while defending, the number of extras (33) bowled did matter in the final context of the game.