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India’s youth team defeated England to win the Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup on Saturday,
overcoming a Covid outbreak that briefly depleted its ranks and holding its nerves in a tightly
fought final contest. The team’s undefeated run in the tournament, which India has won a record
five times, spoke to the vast pool of talent as India consolidates its place as a powerhouse in the
sport. Increasingly in recent years, players from such youth tournaments have risen to become
stars of India’s national team and find lucrative contracts in the Indian Premier League, fast growing
into one of the richest sports leagues in the world. The 2022 version of the Under-19 World Cup,
contested among 16 teams, was played across several Caribbean islands, home to some of the
most iconic players who dominated the game in the 1970s and 1980s.India’s team had to bounce
back from a wave of coronavirus cases early in the tournament. Six players, including the captain,
Yash Dhull, and his deputy, Sheik Rasheed, tested positive and had to isolate for nine days as the
rest of the team struggled to field a squad. India had to fly in five reserve players just in case. The
team faced a tough challenge in the final against England, which had also been undefeated in the
tournament. India’s batters at times struggled in chasing the target set by England, but the target
was modest and the team held its nerves, with fans back at home in India watching into the early
hours of Sunday morning. "We had to manage our focus,” Mr. Dull, the captain, said about
returning from isolation to lead his team to an undefeated run. Congratulations to young team
India for this achievement.

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