From Arshin Kulkarni to Musheer Khan: 5 India Players to Watch Out for in U19 World Cup 2024
The ICC Under 19 World Cup 2024 will begin later this week, with as many as 16 teams participating in the tournament. A plethora of shining stars will be on display, and a few will go on to play for the national team. Talent will be galore as the teams fight to prove themselves as the best young set.
The eyes will be on the Indian team as well, who are also the defending champions in the competition. Several young stars in the team are raring to go out and prove their mettle. They will look to perform well and defend the title.
We look at the five Indian players to watch out for in the ICC U-19 World Cup 2024 in this section.
Arshin Kulkarni
Arshin Kulkarni is special. He is an opener who can also bowl medium-pace. Such players are hard to find, especially in the Indian domestic circuit.
Arshin showed his true worth in the U-19 Asia Cup game against Afghanistan U-19, where he first took three wickets and then played a tremendous unbeaten 70-run mark in a crunch situation to guide his team through. Recently, he also made 91 runs after taking two wickets against South Africa U-19 in the Tri-Series. He is equally adept in both departments, making him an asset.
Musheer Khan
Musheer Khan doesn’t need to be known as the brother of Sarfaraz Khan anymore. He has carved a niche for himself with the help of some outstanding batting displays. Musheer is a right-handed top-order batter who can also bowl useful left-arm off-spin.
Musheer snared five wickets and scored a crucial 41 runs in the Tri-Series game against South Africa U-19 to help his team win. Musheer amassed 629 runs at an average of 78.63 in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy 2023. He also grabbed 16 wickets at 13.81 runs apiece.
Uday Saharan Pratap
The U-19 World Cup team captain, Uday Saharan Pratap, is among the most exciting talents to watch out for this year. Uday is a middle-order batter who has been making waves consistently in the various U-19 tournaments lately. In the U-19 Tri-Nation series held in South Africa, Saharan made a fabulous century against a quality South Africa U-19 team.
Earlier, the 19-year-old made 219 runs at an average of 43.80 and a strike rate of 71.56 in seven innings. Saharan also accumulated two fifties. He is a talented batter with a fine technique.
The Indian captain also starred in the washed-out warm-up game, scoring a vital 74 runs in arduous conditions. No other batter could cross even the 30-run mark in the innings. Uday will be crucial for India’s chances in the middle order in South African conditions.
Saumy Kumar Pandey
Saumy Kumar Pandey is a left-arm orthodox spinner, named the vice-captain of the India U-19 World Cup team. He has been making waves lately. He took a hat trick against Afghanistan U-19 in the Tri-Series.
Saumy took six wickets overall while conceding only 29 runs. His valiant effort helped the team to restrict Afghanistan to a below-par total and win the game comfortably. Saumy then took three wickets against South Africa U-19 to continue his good work.
Raj Limbani
Raj Limbani is a right-arm pacer and a genuine wicket-taker. Limbani impressed one and all in the U-19 Asia Cup. He was the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, scalping 12 wickets at 12.50 runs apiece.
Limbani’s magnificent performance against Nepal U-19 went into the history books. He took seven wickets, conceding only 13 runs to break the game single-handedly. It was the third-best bowling performance ever in the U-19 ODIs.
Limbani is a new-ball bowler who will get ample help in the South African conditions. He will have the responsibility to provide consistent wickets in the powerplay. Limbani has massive potential and will be among the players to watch out for.
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