Yash Dhull shakes off isolation blues to play defining knock in U-19 World Cup semi-final

Yash Dhull, India's captain in the 2022 Under-19 World Cup, got off to a good start in the tournament with a fine half-century against South Africa. But COVID-19 threw a spanner in the works after that. Dhull and his four teammates, including team vice-captain Shaik Rasheed, had to be isolated from the squad.

However, they were thankfully able to recover in time for the knockout stages. The Indian team showed their depth by staying unbeaten despite their absence in the group stage. They went on to register commanding wins against Ireland and Uganda.

Bio-bubbles have proven to be challenging for senior players, let alone the U-19 teams. Having to isolate due to the virus, and to do that so far away from home would be naturally taxing, both physically and mentally.

Dhull had played just one match before being forced into isolation. He could only face 26 deliveries in the quarter-final win over Bangladesh after his return. It meant that any momentum the player was looking to build on was wiped out going into the semi-final against Australia.

So one would not have blamed him for being rusty or nervous when he had to come in to bat in the 13th over in the big match, with his team struggling at 37/2.

At the other end was his trusted deputy, Rasheed. As captain and vice-captain, the two had the gargantuan task of first arresting any sort of collapse and then pushing the team to a challenging total.

It was Dhull's seventh Youth ODI, but the 19-year-old batted like a veteran. While Rasheed dropped anchor, Dhull went about ensuring that the runs kept coming.

He looked fluent during his short stay at the crease against Bangladesh and Dhull carried on from where he left off. What was most impressive was how he constructed his innings. He started off a little slow, but soon overtook his partner.

Dhull displayed crisp strokeplay and was especially strong on the off-side, both in front of and behind the wicket.

He expertly handled the Australian spinners, who had no luck on the day. His best shot of the match was when he got down to sweep off-spinner Jack Sinfield. But upon seeing the bowler drag his length back, adjusted to stay low and just open the face of the bat to guide the ball past the wicketkeeper for a boundary.

He then reached his half-century as he punished a long hop with a lovely pull over midwicket for four.

Rasheed too soon brought up his half-century, and by this time Dhull was beginning to really open his arms and up the tempo.

Yash Dhull scores maiden Youth ODI century to carry on sensational form

In the 45th over, batting on 90, Yash Dhull cut two consecutive short and wide deliveries for consecutive boundaries. One was in front of point and the other was behind. He then played the next delivery to midwicket and ran two to bring up his century.

It was a well-deserved ton and his celebration showed just what it meant to him.

But he was not done as he skipped down the track to smash pacer Tom Whitney for a massive six off the very next delivery.

Dhull looked set to make it a big score, but was dismissed in a most unfortunate manner in the next over. Rasheed's shot driven back towards the bowler was deflected onto the stumps at the non-striker's end and the India skipper was caught out of his crease.

Rasheed himself was out in the very next delivery, having come agonizingly close to a century of his own. But the two had done what was needed of them and more.

Dhull finished with 110 off as many deliveries, with 10 boundaries and a six, while Rasheed hit eight boundaries and a six in his knock of 94 off 108.

Their 204-run partnership was enough to steer India to a total of 290/5 that was well beyond their opponents' reach. Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Nishant Sindhu and Dinesh Bana gave them a flourish at the death, with 27 runs coming off the final over.

Yash Dhull (L) and Shaik Rasheed (R) put on 204 runs for the third wicket in the U-19 World Cup semi-final.

Yash Dhull became just the third captain for India to score a century in the U-19 World Cup, after Virat Kohli in 2008 and Unmukt Chand in 2012. Coincidentally, all three hail from Delhi. The knock also saw him carry on his sensational run of form.

Since the team landed in the West Indies, the India U-19 skipper has not been dismissed under a score of 50 even once, including the two practice matches.

He hit 52 against the West Indies and followed it up with an unbeaten 50 against Australia in the warm-up matches.

Against South Africa, in their first match of the tournament, he held India's innings together with his brilliant 82.

In the quarter-final against Bangladesh, he was unbeaten on 20 off 26 deliveries in a chase of 112.

His average of 106 is the highest in the tournament and he has moved up to No.11 on the batting charts despite having played just three matches. Every player above him on the list has played four matches or more.

He has looked imperious at the crease whenever he has walked out to bat, and his form will be key to beating England U-19 in the final.