U19WC graduates: Yuvraj Singh

Many of the world’s best players have passed through the ICC Under 19 World Cup. Here we look at just one who played a starring role before going on to even greater things.

Yuvraj Singh was Man of the Tournament in the 2000 edition of the ICC U19 CWC in Sri Lanka, taking 11 wickets and smashing two fifties as an Indian team captained by Mohammad Kaif ran out winners by beating hosts Sri Lanka in the final.

Yuvraj tells ICC: “I have great memories. We won the World Cup and I was man of the tournament, which gave me the opportunity to play for India in the next coming years. It was a career-changing tournament for me.”

During the course of the 2000 competiton, Yuvraj took two four-wicket hauls (12 wickets overall) and hit two fifties – including 58 from 25 balls in the semi-final against Australia, whose Australian attack included Mitchell Johnson, Shane Watson and Nathan Hauritz.

He was an all-round problem for Australia’s neighbours New Zealand, whose team, captained by James Franklin, featured Brendon and Nathan McCullum. In their group match in Colombo Yuvraj hit 68 off 62 balls with 12 fours before taking 4-36 from 9.3 overs.

He wasn’t finished with producing big performances in ICC events…

Watch out for whoever is named Player of the Tournament in 2018 over the coming years…

The ICC U19 CWC in New Zealand gets underway on Saturday 13 January

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