It’s almost time for the biggest clash in the 2022 ICC U-19 World Cup — the final, between England and India.
This will be England’s second appearance in an ICC U-19 World Cup final, having clinched the trophy in their only appearance at this stage in 1998.
India, meanwhile, have been the most successful side in this tournament, winning the trophy four times and are chasing a record fifth title. It will be all to play for come the final in Antigua on Saturday.
Rohit Sharma in action during a 2006 U19 World Cup match against England. AFP
England overcame Afghanistan by 15 runs in a rain-marred semi-final, while India dominated Australia to make it to the title clash for a fourth consecutive time.
Both India and England have met each other at the Under-19 World Cup stage eight times. India hold a 6-2 win-loss record over England. Here, we take a look at each of those past encounters:
Round Robin stage, 1988 Youth World Cup
India edged out England in a close contest at the inaugural edition of the U-19 World Cup, then called the Youth World Cup, by just a margin of just two wickets in the Australian town of Renmark.
England were captained by the now-renowned commentator Michael Atherton, who would go on to win the Player of the Match for his knock of 80.
Atherton won the toss and decided that England would bat first. The likes of Nasser Hussain and Mark Ramprakash were also part of this squad. England lost opener Trevor Ward (5) early, but Ramprakash (46) and Atherton (80) would go on to forge a 93-run stand for the second wicket.
That stand momentarily put England back on track but not for long. The partnership for the second wicket was broken when England’s score read 104/2, and ever since then, they were in a spot of bother with wickets falling at regular intervals. None of them apart from Atherton and Ramprakash even got good starts, and Sukhvinder Tinku did most of the damage for India, with three wickets to his credit. England finished with a total of 172/8.
In reply, the Indian batters too found it difficult to get off to good starts and convert them, but skipper Mylvahanan Senthilnathan showcased grit with his knock of 47 to stabilise the innings.
Arjan Kripal Singh (29) and Pravin Amre (21) were also among the runs but were unable to convert them into big ones.
Much like England, India lost wickets at regular intervals but Janardhanan Ramdas (21*) and Venkatapathy Raju (18*) showed resistance to take India over the finish line with two wickets and two balls to spare.
Super League d’ Oliviera Pool, 1998 U-19 World Cup
After advancing to the Super Eights via their respective groups, India and England were placed in the Super League d’ Oliviera Pool, with Australia and Pakistan as the other teams in the group.
The other Super Eights Pool, known as the Pollock Pool consisted of New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.
India, led by Amit Pagnis, won the toss and opted to bat. Pagnis led from the front before eventually being run-out on 99. His knock added stability to the innings as India made 252/8.
Most of the top-order batters failed to get going and it came to the lower-order, where Vasanth Saravanan’s unbeaten 34 helped India put up a respectable total.
England were set a revised target of 204 from 39 overs, with the match being interrupted due to rain.
In England’s reply, only Rob Key (57) and Paul Franks (31) could produce worthwhile runs with the bat, as the rest of the batters, including skipper Owais Shah, failed to live up to expectations. England were eventually bowled out for 152 inside 34 overs.
However, England would go on to script a remarkable turnaround, thumping Australia in their last Super Eight match, and then New Zealand in the final, to clinch their first, and only title so far.
Super League Group Two, U-19 World Cup 2000
The year when India won their maiden U-19 World Cup title. Once again, India and England locked horns in the Super League phase, and the Boys in Blue made it three wins in three games at the U-19 World Cup over the English side.
India won the toss and opted to field. Opener John Maunders got off to a start in this match in Colombo, before departing for 32 in the 25th over, leaving England at 74/3. Even the likes of Mark Wallace and Ian Bell failed to get going, but a 54-run stand between Michael Carberry (36) and Gary Pratt (56) for the fourth wicket put England right back in it.
Carberry departed in the 39th but Pratt kept going until the first ball of the 50th over, when he was dismissed by Shalabh Srivastava. England were reeling at 169/8, and lack of support at the other end meant they finished with only a total of 182/9.
In reply, India would have it easy. Ravneet Ricky (68) and Manish Sharma (86*) forged a 134-run stand for the opening wicket before the former departed.
However, skipper Mohammad Kaif (24*) and Manish got the job done for India with 45 balls to spare.
India would then go on to hammer Australia in the semi-final, and outplay Sri Lanka in the final to clinch their maiden U-19 World Cup.
Semi-final, 2006 U-19 World Cup
India and England did not meet in the 2002 and 2004 editions of the U-19 World Cup, but in 2006, they faced off in a crunch knockout clash.
This semi-final had India written all over it. India, led by Ravikant Shukla, opted to bat after winning the toss.
Cheteshwar Pujara scored an unbeaten 129 against England in 2006. AFP
This was a star-studded Indian lineup that had the likes of Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja. Gaurav Dhiman (48) and Pujara (129*) forged a 72-run stand for the opening wicket before the former departed.
However, Pujara continued to run riot and was involved in a 112-run stand with Rohit Sharma (59). This would put India on track for a big total and they did so, posting 292/4 with Jadeja (14*) the batter at the other end.
It was a nightmare of sorts in England’s reply, with Graeme White (17) being the only batter with double figures. Abu Nechim did most of the damage with four scalps as England were bundled out for just 58.
India would go on to meet Pakistan in the final, but would end up falling 38 runs short, collapsing to 71, while chasing a total of 110.
Quarter-Final, 2008 U-19 World Cup
The class of 2008 led by Virat Kohli holds a special place in the history of the U-19 World Cup. There was another India-England encounter in the knockout stage of the tournament.
India won the toss and asked England to bat first. Barring a knock of 41 by James Taylor, it would be another batting to forget for England. Skipper Alex Wakely (18) and Ben Brown (24) did add to the total but failed to capitalize on what Taylor had done. Iqbal Abdulla (three wickets), Siddarth Kaul (two wickets) and Ravindra Jadeja (two wickets) shared seven scalps among them to see off England for 146.
In reply, Taruwar Kohli (63*) and Shreevats Goswami (26) forged a 64-run stand for the first wicket, before Goswami was dismissed. While Virat Kohli only managed eight, Tanmay Srivastava (22) and Saurabh Tiwary (17*) would later ensure India cross the finish line with more than 10 overs to spare.
Group A, 2010 U-19 World Cup
England’s maiden win over India in an ICC U-19 World Cup match came in 2010, and star man Ben Stokes played a pivotal role in this.
This was the first of two meetings between the two teams in this edition. India won the toss and opted to field in this one. England seemed to be in a spot of bother at 60/4 in the 19th over when James Vince departed, but then came Stokes to the rescue.
Stokes would go on to slam a century, but the game-changing moment was the 100-run stand between Ateeq Javid (42) and him, which would later take England to 246/8.
KL Rahul(20) and Mayank Agarwal (32) were part of that team but the lack of substantial partnerships hurt India. Manan Sharma (36) and Sufiyan Shaikh (45) too produced runs with the bat but those were not enough.
Regular wickets kept hurting India and eventually they collapsed to 215 inside 47 overs.
Fifth-place playoff semi-final, 2010 U-19 World Cup
A loss to Pakistan in the quarter-final meant that India once again met England, this time in the fifth-place playoff semi-final.
England elected to bat first after winning the toss. The only notable knocks came from Jos Buttler (78) and Ateeq Javid (34), with Ashok Menaria scalping four wickets. England were bowled out for just 176.
Mayank Agarwal got a different opening partner this time, with Akshath Reddy taking Rahul’s place, and that change worked as Akshath scored 94 before being dismissed by Nathan Buck.
The opening stand of 87 built the platform for victory, and despite losing Agarwal and Rahul later, Mandeep Singh and Ashok Menaria sealed the deal with seven wickets to spare.
Quarter-final, 2014 U-19 World Cup
The latest of the meetings before the upcoming final came in the last-eight stage of the 2014 U19 World Cup.
India won the toss and opted to bat. They were reeling at 24/4 following the wicket of Ricky Bhui, but fought back from there. Vijay Zol scored 48 but was dismissed in the 33rd over.
After an 87-run stand for the fifth wicket with Vijay Zol, Deepak Hooda (68) with Sarfaraz Khan (52*) would go on to put 37 runs together for the sixth. Those middle-order partnerships proved to be the turning point as India finished at 221/8.
In reply, England lost Harry Finch and Ryan Higgins inside the first 10 overs, but later on, Ben Duckett (61) played his bit before falling to Kuldeep Yadav.
Duckett was involved in a 76-run stand with Ed Barnard for the fourth wicket, but Duckett was later dismissed in the 30th over.
England were 138/5 at that stage but wicketkeeper-batsman Joe Clarke came to their rescue, forging a 51-run stand with Rob Jones, that would take England closer to victory.
Clarke was dismissed in the 46th with England’s score reading 199/7, but Rob Jones (28*) and Rob Sayer (10*) took England over the finish line with three wickets and five balls to spare.
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