ICC U-19 World Cup - Player Of The Tournament Winners Until 2020 And Where Are They Now?

                                  The ICC U-19 World Cup or the Youth World Cup is held every 2 years and this Tournament is one of the important tournament for youngsters all around the world.  Some players achieve success both at that tournament and will go on to be some of the Successfull Cricketers in the world.  There are great examples like Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Yuvraj singh, Suresh Raina, and lot more.  But some players could not take that form to the next level and vanish away from the scene very quickly.  So Sports Curator is going to list down all of the Player Of The Tournament winners of all of the U-19 World Cups held untill now and we are going to find out how did they move on in their respective careers.

 ICC U-19 WORLD CUP 1988 - BRETT WILLIAMS:

                               

                                   The ICC World Cup For players in the age group Under-19 was organised for the first time in 1988 as the McDonald's Bicentennial Youth Cricket World Cup.  Seven Test Playing Nations and one team comprising of youth players of all the associate nations took part in the youth world cup.  The Youth World Cup was played in Australia, and Australia defeated Pakistan in the Finals to win the Inaugural Youth World Cup.

Finally Tournament For The Youth

  The Top scorer and Player Of The Tournament was Brett Williams of Australia. 

                                   Williams was phenominal throught the World Cup as he finished the tournament with 471 runs.  That World Cup witnessed the likes of future legends like Nasser Hussain, Mark Ramprakash, Brian Lara, Inzy, Sanath Jayasuriya, Romesh Kaluwitharna and etc., but the standout out of all of them was Australia's Brett Williams.  But all of the others had got a really phenominal career after this world cups, but the standout players could never make it to the top level as he faced succesfull failures and is retired by now.  Brett Williams Stands out to be one of the big wastes of talent in cricket.  Because, his displays in the youth world cup was absolutely magnificient.  He went on to make 303 appearances in Australian domestic levels but never made it to the national team.  He will go on to be one of the biggest wastes of Australian Cricket.

                                 

 ICC U-19 WORLD CUP 1998 - CHRIS GAYLE:

                                    The World Cup was reintroduced in 1998 and was held in South Africa.  This time the mode was different After an initial group stage, the top eight teams played in a super 8 to decide the champions and the disqualified teams played a separate tournament.  England defeated New Zealand in the final and won their one and only U-19 World Cup, The tournament's top run getter and player of the series was Christopher Henry Gayle.  That is Chris Gayle.

                                     The Whole World knows what sort of a career he had after that. 

Retro Gayle...

Gayle went on to become one of the all time greats of the game, especially in limited overs.  He is one of the few players to have scored 150's in One Days and in T20's and triple hundred in tests.  Currently 40 years old he still plays for West Indies and Domestic Leagues all around the world.  He has the most runs in 20 - over cricket.  Gayle has scored over 25 Centuries in T20 Cricket.  Gayle had transformed limited overs cricket with his explosive batting and his six hitting prowess.  He had some struggles during the initial years of his career, but the older he got, the better he got.  He transformed himself to a beast after turning 30 and went on to become one of the Best players in the world.  Currently 40, he looks upon retirement from International Cricket, but not All forms Of Cricket.

 

 ICC U-19 WORLD CUP 2000 - YUVRAJ SINGH:

                                       The ICC U-19 World Cup in the year 2000 was held in Sri Lanka.  India won their 1st U-19 World Cup.  India defeated Sri Lanka in the final to Win thier first U-19 World Cup.  The Tournament witnessed the likes of then Aussie Legend Shane Watson, and South African Legend Graeme Smith, who was the top scorer of the Tournament.  But there was one stand out player who was absolutely fantastic everywhere.  He scored crucial runs while Batting, took some important wickets while Bowling, and was a beast in the field.  Yes, it was Yuvraj Singh.  Yuvraj is one of the only player in the history of the game to win the Player Of The Tournament Award in both U-19 and ICC World Cup. 

 

The Best Ever Innings In His Life... What A Moment

He achieved this feat by winning the Player Of The Tournament Award in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. 

                                        By this we could know what kind of a cricketer he had become.  Yuvraj had an absolute dream career as he played his 250th match in the World Cup Semifinal in 2011.  But all his success was only untill that year.  He could have easily made over 450 appearances in One Day International Cricket.  Because he reached 250 appearances in mere 10 years.  He went on to play until 2019 but he could not even make 320 appearances.  The Cancer Tumor that he picked up before the World Cup was the reason.  He was persevering only for the World Cup, the pain he suffered was really intolerable.  After that he carried on treatment for the Cancer tumor and was away from cricket for nearly a year.  When he came back, he was not the Same Yuvi that we had seen before.  He was very lazy, his fitness was not with him

 

Look How Bad Fitness Changed Yuvi's Shape

and things worsened year by year, his form was gone, he was very inconsistent with his performances and he spent his last 9 years being in and out of the team.  But apart all this what he did for India will never be forgot.  He is one of the Greatest all rounders of all time.

 ICC U-19 WORLD CUP 2002 - TATENDA TAIBU:

                                         Tatenda Taibu was the most hottest prospect that year.  He quickly broke away into the international scene, and was very successfull.  Taibu was phenominal in the U-19 World Cup and also proved his worth in the 2003 World Cup.  He had very decent averages in all three formats for the Zimbabwe team and was also very successfull in leading his team in the 2011 World Cup.  He had played 150 One Day Internationals for Zimbabwe before retiring in 2012.  Taibu took all responsibilities at a very young age.  He was their youngest test captain when he became the nation's test captain in 2004.

Everything Started Early And Ended The Same Way As Well

  Taibu was a natural leader and a superb batsman.  He didn't have many big scores under his bag, but he was very consistent in his scoring process.  But Taibu shocked everyone in 2012, when he was at the age 29, he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.  He had a decent world cup, and was playing pretty well.  But he shocked whole of the cricketing world when he had announced his retirement.  Taibu felt that his true calling is to work for the church.  He went on to work for the church then after.  Here are the words that were said by Taibu on his retirement.

" I just feel that my true calling now lies in doing the Lord’s work, and although I am fortunate and proud to have played for my country, the time has come for me to put my entire focus on that part of my life. "

 ICC U-19 WORLD CUP 2004 - SHIKHAR DHAWAN:

                                           Mm, we have arrived at 2004.  This Indian player was playing in team that was led by Ambati Rayudu, and the team also had the likes of Dinesh Karthick, Suresh Raina, R.P. Singh and Robin Uthappa.  All of these cricketers went on to become successfull full time International Cricketers at a very young age.  Shikhar was the most run getter in the tournament and was also the Player Of The Tournament. 

Image Credits: Getty Images

But Shikhar could never make it to the top level untill 2013.  Shocking Isn't it, but it is the truth.  Dinesh Karthick. Uthappa, Raina, R.P. Singh had made it very easily and quickly to the top level.  But Shikhar could not.  Because he was playing very poorly after the U-19 world cup.  He even had thoughts of quitting cricket forever.  But IPL gave him the confidence.  He played for numerous franchises but he could never establish his dominance in any of them. 

                                             He finally came good in 2012 where he scored good amount of runs in domestic level for Delhi.  India were looking at a new opening pair for the team.  He made his Test Debut against Australia, where he scored 187 runs.  He also has the fastest hundred scored by debutant in tests where he scored his hundred off 85 balls.  Dhawan also made his One Day Debut against Australia, but it was in 2010.  He just played that one series and was dropped afterwards.  But Dhawan finally glowed in the 2013-14 season.  He was the tournament's most run getter in the Champions Trophy and during the course of another year, he cemented his place in the top order by displaying some sparkling performances, and he was India's best run getter in the 2015 World Cup and also the 2017 Champions trophy.

 

Years Roll By But Class Is Permanent.... And The Celebration Never Changes..

He continued to prove his worth in the next two years.  But now he is suffering a dip in his form as he is overseen by K.L. Rahul.  His strike rate has reduced by a big margin, and he has failed to make his dominance in the pitch.  Mostly all say he is getting old.  But Gabbar will  make a sparkling come back and will rule the scene for another two years or even more, because Gabbar is not new to making comebacks. 

 ICC U-19 WORLD CUP 2006 - CHETESHWAR PUJARA:

                                               Every one will be surprised to hear that Pujara won the Player O The Tournament in a One Day International Tournament.  But Pujara was the best player on the U-19 team that year.  Cheteshwar Pujara.  Pujara was the most run getter in the World Cup.  India were very impressive that year, but they failed to chase down a total of 110 against arch rivals Pakistan in the final.  Pakistan absolutely ran through the batting order of Indian team as India were bowled out for 71.  India had won the Semi Finals against England by a margin of 234 runs but failed to chase down a simple target of 110.  But Pujara was absolutely fantastic

That Patience And Concentration Has Not Suffered A Dip Even Now...

throughout the World Cup as he was awarded the Player Of The Tournament Award. 

             

                                                 Pujara went on to have a phenomenal career after this World Cup he went on to become a superb Test Match Player.  But he could not play well in limited over formats.  He displayed sparkling performances in test matches.  He is currently one of the top 5 Batsmen in the test formats.  He is also hailed as the next Dravid of India.  His composure and his patience really tests the bowlers.  Pujara has the ability to get runs at any ground and at any situation.  Pujara is a great example of how to establish his dominance in the cricketing world even by playing in only one format.

                                             

 ICC U-19 WORLD CUP 2008 - TIM SOUTHEE:

                                                  Tim Southee was one of the best bowlers in the tournament in 2008.  That edition of the World Cup saw some really good young players.  The Likes of Kane Williamson, Tim Southee, Steven Smith, Late Phillip Hughes who was the vice captain of The Australian side and many others.

The Best Kiwi U-19 Side Ever...

  But there was one player who was dominating the tournament with runs, he was Tanmay Srivatsava, who never made it to the top level, but players like Kohli, Williamson, really have transformed into modern day greats and captains of their respective national sides due to hard determination and shere hardwork. 

                                                  Right, let's come back to Tim Southee.  Southee did not take the most wickets in the tournament, he also was not the most run getter.  But he proved his worth by scoring a decent amount of runs as well as taking wickets.  That was the reason why he was given the Player Of The Tournament award.  Southee broke away in the international scene just after the World Cup in Malaysia.  He debuted for New Zealand right after the U-19 world cup.  In his Test Debut, he took 5 for 77 in the second innings.  He impressed everyone with his pace and his precision and his hardwork.  He proved himself again when he displayed sparkling performances in the 2011 World cup.  At a very young age of 22 he was New Zealand's most wicket taker during that World Cup where New Zealand were knocked out in the semi-finals.  Southee also picked the best figures in a World Cup by a kiwi bowler, when he took 7 for 33 against England in the 2015 World Cup. 

The Typical Southee Type Of Dismissal

Southee in his 30's has lost a considerable amount of his pace and his fitness.  Southee is not as effective as he was during his 20's.  But there is one or two years still left in his bag. 

 ICC U-19 WORLD CUP 2010 - DOMINIC HENDRICKS:

                                                   Dominic Hendricks did not have a really good tournament at the start.  But it was during the 5th place playoffs were he top scored in South Africa's 5th place playoffs semi finals and also had his part in the Playoffs finals. 

Left Handed Hendricks Was Compared To Graeme Smith Once U-19 Player From South Africa to Rule The World

Dominic Hendricks was brilliant throught the world Cup, but South Africa were not that successfull.  South Africa could only salvage, a 5th place finish.  Dominic though, didn't have a good career after the world cup.  He made his domestic debut for Gauteng on his 19th Birthday.  But he didn't do well enough to make it to the National Team. 

 

Comparison to Mr.Graeme Was To Heavy For Hendricks. As He Never Made It Big

He is still playing for Gauteng, but he could never play like he played in the U-19 World Cup.  He is one of the biggest flops of South Africa.  He is a great example that performing in U-19 World Cup alone will never be enough to make it to the top level.  You have to work really hard to be a really good player in the International level.

 ICC U-19 WORLD CUP 2012 - WILL BOSISITO:

                                                   Most of the cricket fans will not remember this name but this man was the Player Of The Tournament winner in the 2012 U-19 World Cup held in Australia were India defeated Australia in the finals courtesy a blinder of an innings from India's Captain Unmukt Chand.  During the World Cup Australian team were led through to the finals by one man, that was Will Bosisto.

Bosisto Was Invincible In The World Cup, As He Led The Aussies To The Final

  Bosisto showcased his skills with both bat and ball.  Bosisto deserved every bit of the Award.  But bosisto really faded away from the scene afterwards.  Bosisto has not yet debuted for Australia but he keeps on playing in the Domestic level.  Bosisto could have made it to the top level if he had worked more.  But Will Bosisto will definitely get his chance to establish himself in the International scene.

 ICC U-10 WORLD CUP 2014 - AIDEN MARKRAM:

                                                       When we speak of Aiden Markram, the one thing that comes to everyone's minds is talent.  Aiden Markram is one of the most talented players in the world right now.  But his inconsistency is really being a big problem that is blocking his success.  He has the potential to be one of the best in the world, but he is not living up to his potential.  So what did he do that he was awarded the Player Of The Tournament Award?  He was phenominal.

            Only Few People Know that Markram Was A Genuine All Rounder

                                                       After spending some successfull years in the domestic level, Markram made his debut in all forms in 2017.  He went on to be pretty successful in the next few years.  He was also named in the top 5 South African Cricketers in 2018.  He had a below average World Cup in 2019 but is looking to do better in the upcoming years.

 ICC U-19 WORLD CUP 2016 - MEHEDI HASAN MIRAZ:

                                                       He is one of the best allrounders in the world currently.  Yes Bangladeshi all rounder Mehedi Hasan Miraz is at the top of his game right now.  Mehedi first attracted everyone with his skills in the 2016 U-19 World Cup which had the likes of Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar and a lot more of good youngsters.  But Mehedi was the captain of the Bangladeshi side and was leading them single handedly with his performances.  Mehedi was not the leading wicket taker or he was the leading run getter, he contributed equally with the bat and the ball.  Playing the world cup in his  home nation was an extra motivation for Mehedi. 

A Remarkable achievement in Bangladesh's History

After a very impressive performance in the world cup, Mehedi did not wait any longer to make it to the National team,  Mehedi made his debut in 2016.  It was in the longer formats in which he made his debut.  And is really successful in the longer format.  He has got 50's in tests and also has one 50 and a high score of 51 notout in the One Day International formats. 

   

                                                       Mehedi is really improving himself in all these years and has a really bright future.  He has the potential to become the best allrounder in cricket.  He will really transform himself in a course of over 5 or 6 years.  So Mehedi is on the right path to become a great cricketer in the future.

 

  ICC U-19 WORLD CUP 2018 - SHUBMAN GILL:

                                                       Mm Shubman Gill, the name Shubman gill will never be forgotten easily.  Because India won the Under-19 World Cup this year because of his splendid performances.  The team during this World Cup consisted of really some good talents.  Captain Prithivi Shaw and Shubman Gill both won the title for India Single Handedly. 

Shubman Gill Was The Solo Star During The World Cup...

You also cannot rule out the performance of Manjot Kalra throughout the World Cup.  Shubman hit multiple hundreds throughout the world cup.  Shubman Gill and Prithivi Shaw battled for the most run getter award throughout the course of the tournament.  But West Indian Alick Athanze was the one who came on top.  But Shubman was way better than Athanze.  He helped India with his runs to lift the U-19 World Cup trophy.  But Athanze could not do it for the Windies.  India led the tournament in wickets especially Anukul Roy.  The youngster picked up 14 wickets in the tournament.

                                                       But what did he do after the World Cup?  He first made the headlines when playing for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.  Then slowly made the selectors think and turn towards him by his domestic and IPL performances.  He has not yet made his impression in the International arena, but keeps displaying superb performances for India A and his domestic side.  Shubman made his debut in 2019 against New Zealand in New Zealand.  He was not very successful because he could not get a double digited score.

It Was A Rough Start.... Being Hit In The Head In Your First Few Minutes Of International Cricket Feels Rough....

  He was named in the squad on some occasions but did not really play a lot.  But Gill is still very young and has a lot of years left on his bag to make an impression.  But this youngster has the potential to be a great.  If he lives up to his potential he might make it big.

 ICC U-19 WORLD CUP 2020 - YASHASHVI JAISWAL:

                                                         The ICC U-19 World Cup in 2020 was destined to be won by India untill Bangladesh stunned India to win their First ICC Tournament Victory.  With this Victory they really marked the start of their reign in the World of Cricket.  Bangladesh really played with a lot of promise and they played with an ambition.  Bangladesh defended a very low target against India in the Final of the world cup.   They were really excited by the victory as they lost their mind and involved in an ugly clash with the Indian Players.  But apart from all of that the World Cup Witnessed a really superb all rounder.  That was Mumbai born youngster, Yashasvi Jaiswal.  Yashasvi Jaiswal knew what is the value of opportunity, as he found this as his way to overcome poverty.

Pani Puri To Player Of The Tournament.....

  And he also succeeded in the pursuit to his happyness.  Yashasvi Jaiswal was phenominal throughout the world cup as he equally contributed in the world cup.  First of all India dominated all spheres of The World Cup.  India led the tournament in both runs and wickets.  Yashasvi Jaiswal was the most run getter with Ravi Bishnoi being the most wicket taker.  Jaiswal has not yet debuted for India, but he has already started his dominance by displaying some of the incredible performances in the Domestic Sphere.  He has got a 50 over  Double Hundred for Mumbai.  So Jaiswal may be the exact answer to all of India's prayers in the middle order, although he is an opening batsman.  His allround skills really impress most of the selectors.   He can pick up really some crucial wickets, and is natural partnership breaker who can break partnerships in the middle overs.