History makers at ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cups
Dec 29, 2021
London [UK], December 29 : Eoin Morgan is best known for leading England to ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019 glory but after scoring a hatful of runs when representing Ireland, he is the leading run-scorer in ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cups.
Zimbabwe's Wesley Madhevere with the ball and England's Eoin Morgan with the bat are some history makers in ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cups.
Morgan would become Ireland's youngest ever senior international but before that he starred in both the 2004 and 2006 ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cups.
Morgan's first World Cup game came against the West Indies and batting at No.3 he managed just five runs from 16 balls as Ireland came agonizingly close to an upset.
The men in green were six runs short of chasing down the West Indies' 265 for eight with Kevin O'Brien's 95 not enough to get them over the line.
Morgan fared a little better next time out, scoring 12 in a heavy eight-wicket defeat to Pakistan before misfiring against Papua New Guinea, as he was trapped lbw for 11 off 18, albeit in a winning cause.
Morgan showcased his all-round ability against Canada, first making 44 off 57 balls as Ireland posted 265 for nine.
He was then named player of the match after taking three catches and two for 26 from ten overs with his right arm medium bowling - something he would leave behind as he headed into the senior ranks.
Morgan may have shown his prowess with the ball as a teenager, but it is Zimbabwe's Wesley Madhevere who is the leading wicket-taker at ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cups.
On the other hand, a prodigious talent, Madhevere featured at the 2016 ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup aged just 15.
And in keeping with the phrase, 'if you are good enough, you're old enough', Madhevere kicked off his tournament by taking five for 24 to help dismiss Fiji for 81.
Madhevere took another wicket in the 129-run defeat to England next up, recording impressive figures of one for 53 from his ten overs given his opponents racked up 288 for four from their innings.
He was back in the wickets with two for 48 in the narrow two-run defeat against the West Indies before chipping in with one for 40 in the six-wicket win over Canada.
Madhevere was named as the ICC's rising star of the tournament after taking ten wickets at 12.80 and returned for his third consecutive U19 Men's Cricket World Cup in 2020.
However, it took him until the third game against Scotland to pick up his first wicket, with one more coming in a win over Canada before he came to the fore in the defeat to England with four for 42 from ten overs.
Madhevere finished off with two for 18 against Scotland in the 11th place play-off to take his tally to 28 and leave him as the man to beat when it comes to the world's best young bowlers.