Top 5 run-getters in Under-19 World Cups

The twelfth edition of the Under-19 World Cup is set to begin on January 13 with New Zealand hosting it for a record third time. With young names ready to step up to the big stage and gain the attention of the cricketing world, a visit to the record books to check the highest run-getters in the history of the tournament is only apt.

Sportskeeda lists the names of the 5 batsmen with most runs in the youth World Cup so far.

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#5 Kanishka Chaugai, Nepal

Kanishka Chaugai played in three consecutive Under-19 World Cups

537 runs at 28.26 in 20 matches

Right-handed opener Kanishka Chaugai is the only one is the list of the top five run-getters who plays for a nation still counted as an Associate team by the ICC. Chaugai played in three consecutive Under-19 World Cups for Nepal in 2002, 2004 and 2006, and got three half-centuries from the twelve times that he batted.

His highest of 90* came in the 2004 edition against Papua New Guinea. Chaugai was the Nepal Under-19 captain in the 2006 World Cup, where his 78 nearly helped his side beat Zimbabwe. He hit 40 in a win over Ireland, and under him, Nepal beat Uganda in the Plate Quarter-Final.

One of the biggest moments in their cricketing history arrived when they stunned South Africa by 2 runs in the Plate Semi-Final, in which Chaugai got 59. Just days later, Nepal also shocked New Zealand in a nervous run chase of 205 which they won with 1 wicket and 2 balls to spare, thus winning the Plate Final.

#4 Kraigg Braithwaite, West Indies

Kraigg Braithwaite brought the quality of stabilizing the top order for West Indies across two junior World Cups

548 runs at 60.89 in 12 matches

It's not a surprise that Kraigg Braithwaite has developed into one of the most dependable openers in the modern day cricket. With his old-fashioned approach, Braithwaite has won the hearts of the purists who prefer stability to rampant shot-making at the top.

That is exactly what he brought for West Indies in the two Under-19 World Cups in which he played. In 2010, he hit four half-centuries to provide firmness in the top order. Two of them, 92* and 85, came against Pakistan but went in vain as his side succumbed to a defeat both times.

The remaining ones were an innings of 69 against Papua New Guinea in which he ensured a smooth chase of 188, while in the Quarter-Final game against England, he contributed 69 in an 18-run win despite West Indies posting only 166. Two years later, Braithwaite stepped out as the captain of his team and again got to two half-centuries: 70* against Zimbabwe and 53 against New Zealand.

#3 Sarfaraz Khan, India

Sarfaraz Khan played a few match-defining innings in two Under-19 World Cups

566 runs at 70.75 in 12 matches

The short but explosive Sarfaraz Khan was always a fairly handy middle-order batsman. He represented India in two Under-19 World Cups: in 2014, he first hit 74 against Pakistan; then he stabilized a chase of 89 against Scotland after Indian were 22/5 with a knock of 45*; when the need arose to rake up quick runs, Sarfaraz bashed 34* off 18 balls against Papua New Guinea in a win by 245 runs and against England, got 52*, though that did not give India a win.

In 2016, Sarfaraz, who was still 18, took India to victories over Ireland, against whom he got 74 off 70 balls; 74 against New Zealand in a 120-run win; a run-a-ball 76 against Namibia in a thrashing by 197 runs; 59 against Sri Lanka and top scored in the final against West Indies with 51 as India lost after posting only 145.

#2 Babar Azam, Pakistan

Babar Azam captained Pakistan Under-19 in the 2012 World Cup

585 runs at 58.50 in 12 matches

The elegant Babar Azam has risen through the Under-19 ranks to occupy the number three spot for Pakistan in ODI cricket post the days of Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq. Having played in the 2010 and 2012 editions, Babar began the former with a bang when a slammed a 129 against West Indies and took Pakistan to a win. Against Bangladesh, a few games later, the then fifteen-year-old Babar announced his potential by top scoring with 91 in a successful run chase of 251.

Babar returned to the scene as captain of Pakistan Under-19 in 2012 and led from the front with knocks of 75 against Afghanistan in a handsome win, 106* against Scotland in a nine-wicket romp and 50 against India in an excruciating finish which Pakistan just failed to pull into their favour.

Overall, Babar boasts of two centuries and three fifties in a tournament where he ended up averaging 58.50.

#1 Eoin Morgan, Ireland

Eoin Morgan has 606 runs in the Under-19 World Cup - still a record for any batsman

606 runs at 50.50 in 13 matches

England’s incumbent limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan first made his name for the nation of his birth Ireland by accumulating big runs in the two youth World Cups that he was a part of. The left-handed middle-order batsman represented Ireland in the 2004 and the 2006 editions, and in a total of 13 matches, accumulated 606 runs – still the most by any batsman in the history of the tournament – at an impressive average of 50.50.

Out of the 13 innings in which he batted, Morgan slammed two centuries and three half-centuries with the first one coming in a massive win over Uganda in 2004 – he slammed 117 in a total of 329 – and was chosen as Ireland’s captain two years later. In the Plate Quarter-Final of the same tournament, Morgan produced his highest of 124 in the two World Cups combined and set up a big score of 304 against New Zealand, though his efforts went in vain.