Stellar performance at highest level shows Indian cricket is in safe hands: PM Modi congratulates Team India for winning U19 World Cup

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated Team India on winning the U19 World Cup title. He said that the performance of the team shows that the future of Indian cricket is in safe and able hands.

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi said: "Extremely proud of our young cricketers. Congratulations to the Indian team for winning the ICC U19 World Cup. They have shown great fortitude through the tournament. Their stellar performance at the highest level shows that the future of Indian cricket is in safe and able hands."

An utterly dominant India won a record-extending fifth U-19 World Cup title on Saturday, beating England by four wickets in the final of an extraordinary campaign that was almost derailed by a COVID-19 outbreak.

The Yash Dhull-led side defeated the Three Lions in the summit clash by four wickets. Earlier, India had won the U19 World Cup in 2000, 2008, 2012, and 2018.

Chasing 190, India got off to the worst start possible as Joshua Boyden dismissed Angkrish Raghuvanshi (0) on the third ball of the innings. Harnoor Singh and Shaik Rasheed then got together at the crease and the duo put on 49 runs for the second wicket. As soon as India started to gain an upper hand, England stormed right back into the contest in the 18th over as Thomas Aspinwall dismissed Harnoor (21), reducing India to 49/2.

Skipper Yash Dhull next joined Rasheed in the middle and both batters stitched together a partnership of 46 runs which saw Rasheed (50) going past his 50-run mark. However, as soon as he reached the milestone, he ended up giving his wicket away to James Sales. In his next over, Sales picked up the scalp of Dhull (17), and India was reduced to 97/4, still needing 93 runs for the win.

Raj Bawa (35) and Nishant Sindhu (50*) then ensured that India does not lose wickets in a cluster.

(With inputs from Agencies)