U19 Women’s World Cup tournament saw India lift the trophy after beating England by seven wickets in the final at Senwes Cricket Stadium, Potchefstroom. The T20 women’s under-19 tournament, held for the first time, saw 16 teams participating, and Australia and New Zealand reached the semi-finals.
ICC U19 Women’s World Cup – Making Debut
It was the first time the International Cricket Council (ICC) conducted a women’s T20 World Cup in the U19 category. Twelve teams, including the hosts South Africa, were automatically qualified for the two-week-long tournament. Scotland, UAE, Rwanda, and Indonesia made it to the final round through regional qualification tournaments.
U19 Women’s World Cup – The Group Stage
The 16 teams were put into four groups of four teams each. Group A saw Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the USA. England, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, and Rwanda featured in Group B. New Zealand, West Indies, Ireland, and Indonesia were paired in Group C. The last group comprised hosts South Africa, India, Scotland, and UAE.
Bangladesh’s Major Coup
Bangladesh produced one of the biggest upsets in the inaugural women’s U19 T20 World Cup. In the tournament opener, the Asian nation restricted Australia to 130. The Tigers, led by wicketkeeper-batsman Dilara Akter, chased down the target with two overs to spare.
It was Bangladesh’s first victory over Australia in an ICC event, and it went on to top the group. Australia and Sri Lanka finished second and third in the group, respectively.
Dominant England in U19 Women’s World Cup
England showed no mercy towards its opponents in group B. Niamh Holland and Grace Scrivens steered England to a whopping 174-run win against Zimbabwe in England’s opening game. In its second game, England crushed Pakistan by 53 runs and topped the group with a thumping victory over Rwanda. With two wins in three games, Pakistan sealed a Super Six spot. Rwanda grabbed the third spot after the lone victory over Zimbabwe..
Ruthless New Zealand
New Zealand topped group C of U19 Women’s World Cup by clinching ten-wicket wins in two of its three matches. The team from Down Under restricted Indonesia, Ireland, and West Indies under 100 and wrapped up the game before the 10th over in all three fixtures. West Indies sealed the second place with two wins, while Ireland beat Indonesia by 49 runs and clinched a Super Six berth.
Three Out of Three for India
Shafali Verma-led India women’s U19 team opened its campaign with a stellar win over South Africa. Shweta Sehrawat hit an unbeaten 92 as India chased down 167 in 99 balls against the Proteas. The ‘Women in Blue’ registered big wins over UAE and Scotland, highlighting India’s strength.
Meanwhile, South Africa finished second in Group D after crushing Scotland and UAE in its last two matches. UAE secured the third spot.
Net Run Rate of Group Winners:
- Group A – Bangladesh (0.759)
- Group B – England (6.117)
- Group C – New Zealand (5.865)
- Group D – India (4.039)
U19 Women’s World Cup: Super Six
The top three teams from each group qualified for the U19 Women T20 World Cup Super Six stage, divided into two groups of six teams. India and Australia were the prominent sides in Group 1, while England and New Zealand were favorites to make it to the last four from Group 2.
Australia & India Progress to Semi-finals
Four teams were tied with six points at the end of the Super Six stage. India and Australia sealed semi-final spots owing to a better net run rate than Bangladesh and South Africa.
The hosts failed to make it to the semi-finals despite winning both matches. The defeat against India in the group stage played a crucial role in South Africa’s Super Six exit. Meanwhile, Bangladesh had to settle for a third-place finish in Group 1.
England & New Zealand cruise to Last Four
There was no such drama in Group 2 as England and New Zealand eased their way into the semi-finals. Both teams won both their respective Super Six fixtures and finished with eight points each. Pakistan and Rwanda grabbed one win each and ended up in third and fourth places, respectively. Ireland and West Indies went winless in the Super Six stage.
U19 Women’s World Cup: Semi-finals & Final
India squared off against New Zealand in the first semi-final of the ICC U19 Women’s World Cup. Leg-spinner Parshavi Chopra took 3/20, and New Zealand had to settle for 107 in 20 overs. Shweta Sehrawat’s rapid half-century helped India chase down the target with 34 balls to spare.
The second semi-final between England and Australia was a thrilling contest. England was bundled out for 99 after opting to bat first. Hannah Baker and Grace Scrivens hit back with the ball for England as Australia was reduced to 77-8 in the 16th over.
The ninth wicket pair added 19 runs, bringing them closer to the target. However, a run-out and No 11 Maggie Clark’s dismissal saw the Aussies falling short by three runs.
The Final
The ICC U19 Women’s World Cup final was a one-sided affair. England lost all ten wickets for just 68. Opening batter Liberty Heap was dismissed in the first over. Parshavi Chopra, Archana Devi, and Titas Sadhu grabbed two wickets each.
India, who lost both openers in the powerplay, reached the target in the 14th over. Soumya Tiwari hit the winning runs for the ‘Women in Blue’.
U19 Women’s World Cup Stats
Shweta Sehrawat and Maggie Clark topped the runs and wickets chart, respectively, in the U19 Women’s World Cup. The Indian opening batter made 297 runs in seven innings. She hit 50 fours in the tournament.
Clark, who is just 15, picked up 12 wickets in five outings. The fast bowler claimed a three-wicket haul in the semi-final.
- Most Runs: Shweta Sehrawat (India) – 297 runs
- Most Wickets: Maggie Clark (Australia) – 12 wickets
- Most Fifties: Shweta Sehrawat (India) & Grace Scrivens (England) – 3
- Most Sixes: Shafali Verma (India) – 7
- Most Five-wicket Hauls: Ellie Anderson (England) & Ni Luh Dewi (Indonesia) – 1
Grace Scrivens
England captain Grace Scrivens won the Player of the Tournament award. The 19-year-old scored close to 300 runs and took nine wickets at an economy of just 3.09. She hit three half-centuries and registered the highest score in the tournament – 93 against Ireland in Potchefstroom.
India U19 Women’s Cricket Team Stats
Shafali Verma-led India women’s U19 opened its campaign with a stellar win over South Africa. Shweta Sehrawat hit an unbeaten 92 as India chased down 167 in 99 balls against the Proteas. The ‘Women in Blue’ registered big wins over UAE and Scotland, highlighting India’s strength.
Parshavi Chopra was India’s leading wicket-taker in the tournament. She claimed 11 wickets at an economy of 3.66. Fellow spinners Mannat Kashyap and Archana Devi, too, were impressive, claiming nine and eight wickets, respectively. 15-year-old Sonam Yadav took six wickets.
The ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup will remain among the most memorable moments in Indian women’s cricket history. It was the first instance of an Indian women’s team winning an ICC trophy. Cricket fans will want more of the same from the women’s team.
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