This day, that year: Virat Kohli’s Team India won ICC U19 World Cup in 2008

It was on this day, 14 years ago, when Virat Kohli-led Team India won the Under-19 World Cup for the second time after defeating South Africa in the summit clash. The Indian side were led by star batter Virat Kohli, who guided the team to a 12-run victory over the Proteas after the rain played a spoilsport and reduced the match to 25 overs.

In the final, Kohli only managed to score 19 but Tanmay Srivastava top-scored with 46 off 74 balls to 159 in 45.4 overs after batting first. Former South Africa left-arm pacer Wayne Parnell claimed 2/21 while Roy Adams and Matthew Arnold picked up 2/38 and 2/30 respectively.

In spite of Kohli’s rare failure, the India U19 skipper ended up as India’s second-highest run-getter in the 2008 edition with 235 runs in 6 matches at an average of 47 and strike-rate of over 94. Uttar Pradesh’s Tanmay Srivastava ended up as India’s leading run-scorer with 262 runs in 6 games at an average 52.4 with two fifties apart from top-scoring in the final.

Team India pacers Ajitesh Argal and Siddharth Kaul were the stars with the ball, claiming 2/7 and 2/26 respectively. Ravindra Jadeja also chipped in, claiming 2/25 as India restricted South Africa to 103/8 in a rain-curtailed 25 over game while chasing 116 to win.

The beginning of an incredible era #OnThisDay in 2008, the Boys in Blue clinched the second U19 World Cup! #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/4V9Vmmkpv2 — KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 2, 2022

Apart from Parnell, the South African side featured the likes of Reeza Hendricks, Rilee Rossouw and JJ Smuts who went on to play international cricket for South Africa and Namibia.

Earlier, Team India had won the Under 19 World Cup title in 2000, which was followed by 2008, 2012, 2018, and the latest in 2022. In 2022, Team India squad was led by Yash Dhull and they defeated England in the final clash by four wickets to register their fifth title win.

Few of the squad members including Shaik Rasheed and Yash Dhull had tested positive for COVID-19 midway through the tournament, but whoever stepped in did their role perfectly and India did not lose a single game in the 2022 U19 World Cup.