The ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup is underway in the West Indies, and England is proving a force to be reckoned with. They got off to a flying start with a 7-wicket win over 2020 winners Bangladesh and quickly followed this up with a 106-run victory over Canada.
With one more group match to go, will the team keep its momentum and log another win against the UAE? Cricket betting sites in India had England on their radar for the previous two games, and the odds are once again heavily in favour of the Young Lions.
If they prove the bookies right, they’ll enter the knockout stages as hot favourites for the overall title. England won this tournament in 1998, but if they maintain their current form, they’re in with a good chance of adding to their trophy cabinet in 2022.
England vs Bangladesh
Current titleholders Bangladesh squared up to England at Warner Park in Basseterre, as both sides sought to open their tournament account with a win. Bangladeshi captain Rakibul Hassan won the toss, and his opening batsmen took their positions at the crease.
The first wicket fell with the score on just 6. Three more followed in quick succession, and Bangladesh slumped to 26/5. The batters endured a torrid time against the English bowlers, who took wickets at regular intervals.
Seamer Josh Boyden was a pick of the bunch, taking four wickets for just 16 runs in his nine overs. The tenth wicket fell with the score on 97, leaving England with a very reachable target of 98.
England needed just 25 overs and one ball for victory. They lost two wickets along the way, Rakibul Hasan and Ripon Mondal taking one apiece, but punished the bowling attack with ten fours and four sixes.
The English won the game in style as William Luxton hit a six off the first ball of his innings. This left just one run required from 150 balls, and the rest is history.
England vs Canada
With one victory already in the bag, England headed into the match with confidence, while Canada hoped to put their recent 49-run loss to the UAE behind them. The toss went Canada’s way, and captain Mihir Patel sent England in to bat.
The English batters showed their flair in setting the target. Jacob Bethell went out first with the score on 26, which brought captain Tom Prest to the crease. Prest and opener George Thomas put on 90 runs before Thomas fell to Kairav Sharma. Sharma went on to take three wickets in his spell, including the valuable scalp of Tom Prest, who notched up 93 runs and top-scored for the game.
England set a target of 308, and Canada’s opening pair needed to get off to a fast start. England’s Josh Boyden broke the partnership on 14, trapping Siddh Lad lbw and leaving Anoop Chima to settle at the crease with number three batsman Yasir Mahmood. They had a productive 10-over partnership before Mahmood fell, followed by Chima seven runs later.
Canada hit a batting slump, and wickets tumbled, but Ethan Gibson and Gurnek Singh steadied the ship somewhat. The final wicket fell in the second last over, leaving Canada 92 runs short of their target and handing England a second victory in two matches.
England vs United Arab Emirates
In their final group stage match, England takes on the UAE at Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts. This is their third game at this ground, but the UAE’s first, so familiarity is definitely on England’s side. They also have a game-time advantage over their opponents playing just their second group match.
The UAE hope to capitalise on their first-game victory and will undoubtedly give England a run for their money. Captain Alishan Sharafu will expect a better performance from his top three, though, who only managed 30 runs between them. However, a blistering knock of 73 from all-rounder Ali Naseer and some tight bowling propelled the UAE to victory.
Final thoughts
We’re in for some cracking cricket in the remaining games of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup. Excitement is mounting for the knockout stage, and Indian bookies will soon be setting their predictions and jostling for the best odds. To stay up to date with all the news and betting tips, check out BT10 India telegram channel.
