3 U19 World Cup winners who went on to win the senior 50-over World Cup

The 2020 U19 World Cup will be held in South Africa from January 17 to February 9. This year’s edition will be the 13th edition of the tournament, and the second one to be held in South Africa.

The inaugural U19 World Cup was held in Australia in 1988, after which the tournament took a 10-year break and returned in 1998 - this time hosted by South Africa. Australia won the inaugural edition of the event in 1988, and went on to register two more victories in the tournament.

India are the most successful team overall, having won the U19 World Cup four times. They are also the defending champions in the event. Under Prithvi Shaw, they captured the crown in 2018 in New Zealand, getting the better of Australia in the final by an impressive margin of eight wickets.

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Three international cricketers have the rare distinction of winning both the U19 World Cup and the 50-over World Cup. Here’s a look.

#3 Josh Hazlewood

Josh Hazlewood

Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood was part of the Australian team that won the U19 World Cup at Lincoln, New Zealand in 2010. Hazlewood was, in fact, the man of the final as Australia captured the crown, defeating Pakistan by 25 runs. The pacer picked up 4 for 30 in 8.4 overs as Pakistan failed to chase a moderate target of 208, and were all out for 182.

Hazlewood dismissed Ahsan Ali, Hammad Azam, Sarmad Bhatti and Raza Hasan. The Pakistan team featured Babar Azam (28) and Ahmed Shehzad (36), who have since gone on to represent the senior side with distinction.

The Aussie playing XI also featured Kane Richardson, who has come up with a few impressive performances for the senior side.

Five years after his big day at Lincoln, Hazlewood was part of the XI that trampled New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Although Hazlewood did not pick up any wickets, he kept things tight by bowling two maidens and conceding only 30 in his eight overs.

Three-fors from James Faulkner and Mitchell Johnson held New Zealand to 183, which the hosts chased with ease thanks to fifties from Steve Smith (56 not out) and Michael Clarke (74).

Josh Hazlewood

Hazlewood was the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the 2010 U19 World Cup, with 13 wickets in six matches at an average of 15.00, and a strike rate of 22.4. In the 2015 World Cup, he picked up seven wickets in five matches. It was his economy rate of 4.10 that was most impressive.

Hazlewood was the man of the match in the quarter-finals against Pakistan with figures of 4 for 35.

#2 Virat Kohli

A young Virat Kohli with the 2008 U-19 World Cup trophy

As a young man, Virat Kohli captained the team when India lifted the U19 World Cup at Kuala Lumpur in 2008, getting the better of South Africa in the final by 12 runs. Only three years later, he was part of the Indian team that won the senior World Cup under MS Dhoni’s leadership.

Kohli was dismissed for 19 from 34 balls as India crumbled to 159 all out batting first in the 2008 U19 World Cup final. Ajitesh Argal’s splendid figures of 5-2-7-2, however, bowled India to an impressive victory via the D/L method.

Ravindra Jadeja (2 for 25), Siddarth Kaul (2 for 26), Iqbal Abdulla (1 for 26) and Pradeep Sangwan (0 for 14) were the other prominent faces to emerge out of that final.

In the 2011 World Cup final, Kohli contributed a key 35 from 49 balls and featured in a crucial 83-run stand for the third wicket with Gautam Gambhir (97) as India recovered after losing Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar cheaply. Skipper MS Dhoni (91 not out) then played a captain’s knock to clinch the historic victory for India.

Virat Kohli made a crucial 35 in the 2011 World Cup final

Kohli was the third highest run-scorer in the 2008 U19 World Cup. In six matches, he scored 235 runs at an average of 47.00 with one hundred - 100 off 74 in a group match against West Indies.

In the 2011 World Cup, he contributed 282 runs in nine matches at an average of 35.25, with one hundred and one fifty. The century (100 not out off 83) came against Bangladesh in India’s opening encounter in the World Cup at Dhaka.

#1 Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh debuted for India in 2000 after his U19 World Cup heroics the same year

Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has the rarest of rare distinctions. He was the man of the series when India won the U19 World Cup in Sri Lanka in 2000. And 11 years later, history repeated itself as Yuvraj was the man of the tournament in India’s World Cup triumph at home.

In the U19 World Cup, Yuvraj slammed 203 runs from eight matches at a strike rate of 103.57 with two fifties and an average of 33.83. With the ball, he picked up 12 wickets in eight matches at a strike rate of 20.3, including a best of 4 for 15. He claimed two four-wicket hauls at an average of 11.50.

In the final, Yuvraj made 27 from 40 as India chased down 179 with ease. Reetinder Sodhi was the man of the final with 0 for 26 and an unbeaten 39 from 43, as India won the summit clash by six wickets.

Yuvraj Singh played a stellar all-round role in India's 2011 World Cup triumph

In the 2011 World Cup, Yuvraj put in another stunning all-round effort. In nine matches, he amassed 362 runs at an average of 90.50 and a strike rate of 86.19. Yuvraj had one hundred and four fifties to show for his efforts.

With the ball, the all-rounder picked up 15 wickets at an average of 25.13 and a strike rate of 30. In the match against Ireland at Bengaluru, Yuvraj created history by becoming the first player to take five wickets (5 for 31) and score a half-century (50 not out) in a World Cup game.

Yuvraj made a key contribution in the 2011 final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai as well. With the ball, he claimed the important wickets of Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara (48), and Thilan Samaraweera (21). Then, coming into bat, he played a cameo of 21 not out from 24 balls as India captured the World Cup after 28 years.