The ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup is a perfect platform for upcoming talented cricketers from different countries. The youth ODI tournament is one of the premier competitions organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
In 1988, the tournament got off the floor, with 8 teams contesting. However, there was a hiatus of 10 years until the next edition was organised in 1998.
After that, the Under 19 Cricket World Cup has been a regular feature every 2 years, with the tournament expanding to 16 teams. India is the most successful team in the competition’s history, showcasing the dearth of talent available in the country.
In this article, let’s look at the winners of the Under 19 Cricket World Cup.
Under 19 Cricket World Cup Winners
| Year | Winner | Runners-up | Host Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Australia | Pakistan | Australia |
| 1998 | England | New Zealand | South Africa |
| 2000 | India | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka |
| 2002 | Australia | South Africa | New Zealand |
| 2004 | Pakistan | West Indies | Bangladesh |
| 2006 | Pakistan | India | Sri Lanka |
| 2008 | India | South Africa | Malaysia |
| 2010 | Australia | Pakistan | New Zealand |
| 2012 | India | Australia | Australia |
| 2014 | South Africa | Pakistan | UAE |
| 2016 | West Indies | India | Bangladesh |
| 2018 | India | Australia | New Zealand |
| 2020 | Bangladesh | India | South Africa |
| 2022 | India | England | West Indies |
| 2024 | Australia | India | South Africa |
India | 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022
As mentioned earlier, India has established its dominance in the U19 Cricket World Cup. The young Men in Blue won their first title in 2000 under the captaincy of Mohammad Kaif. Apart from Kaif, Yuvraj Singh, Reetinder Sodhi, and Ajay Ratra went on to represent the senior team.
Virat Kohli brought the glory moment again in 2008 under his captaincy by defeating South Africa in the final. Kohli later also led the Indian national team to many more memorable wins on the international stage.
After 4 years, Unmukt Chand led the India U19 team to their third title triumph. The captain led the team from the front in the final with a fine century against Australia, but despite his batting exploits, he couldn’t make it into the senior side.
After coming close to the title in 2016, the Indian team got their hands on the coveted trophy for the fourth time in 2018. 2022 saw India lift their fifth U19 World Cup by defeating England in a thrilling final.
Australia | 1988, 2002, 2010, 2024
Australia has always been a dominant side among the senior team, and their Under 19 team has also followed in the footsteps of their seniors.
The Australia Under 19 team were the inaugural winners of the youth ODI tournament. They won their second title in 2002 in New Zealand under the captaincy of Cameron White, who later went on to play for the senior side, along with his fellow teammates Shaun Marsh and George Bailey.
New Zealand hosted the tournament for the second time in 2010, and it turned out to be lucky for the Aussies. Shaun Marsh’s brother, Mitchell Marsh, led the team to their third U19 World Cup title.
The 2024 edition saw 2 of the most successful teams, India and Australia, square off in the final. After electing to bat first, Australia mustered 253 runs on the board on a tricky surface. In response, India lost wickets at regular intervals and were bowled out for 174 runs. With that, Australia under 19 team clinched their 4th title.
Pakistan | 2004, 2006
Pakistan became the first team to win the Under 19 Cricket World Cup in back-to-back editions. They won the trophy consecutively in 2004 and 2006, after being the runner-up in the inaugural edition.
In the 2004 final, Pakistan defeated the West Indies, while in 2006, they beat the arch-rival India to claim their second title.
England | 1998
England’s senior team took 12 editions to win their maiden ODI World Cup, however, the U19 team took 2 editions to win the Under 19 tournament.
The second edition of the U19 competition made its comeback after a gap of 10 years, with South Africa being the host. England thrashed New Zealand in the final to grab their maiden title in 1998.
South Africa | 2014
After India, Australia, and Pakistan took turns to lay their hands on the trophy between 2000 and 2012, it was young Proteas’ time to win the maiden U19 trophy in 2014.
The South African team denied Pakistan a chance to win their third title, skittling them for a paltry score in the final. South Africa cruised comfortably to the target, winning the competition for the first time.
West Indies | 2016
The West Indies had a momentous 2016 as the U19 team won their maiden title, while their senior men’s and women’s teams won the T20 World Cup, respectively.
Speaking of the U19 team’s win, they defeated India, which was undefeated throughout the group stage, in a low-scoring final.
Bangladesh | 2020
Bangladesh’s senior teams may not be the most consistent when it comes to ICC events. However, their U19 team tasted success in 2020 by lifting the Under 19 Cricket World Cup, making it Bangladesh’s first ICC title triumph at any level.
India missed out on yet another title as Bangladesh rattled them for 177 runs. The chase wasn’t easier for the young Bangla Tiger, but they held on to their nerves to win the final with 3 wickets to spare.
