5 U19 World Cup fast-bowlers who went on to shine for their national teams

Several players have had a smooth transition from U19 World Cup to their national teams. The global event, organized for cricketers of under 19 years, has produced several world-class cricketers in its long and glorious history of 30 years.

India, since the inaugural season in 1998, holds the record for the most number of titles – four. From the 2000 edition of the Under-19 World Cup, as many as 67 players went on to get international caps, the most from any single World Cup edition.

Let us look at 5 fast-bowlers who played in the U19 World Cup and went on to shine for their international teams.

---

#1 Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada is, game by game, proving to the world that he can be Dale Steyn’s successor. Rabada had a spectacular Under-19 World Cup in 2014. The then 18-year-old ended the tournament as its best bowler, picking up 14 wickets from his five matches. His bowling exploits helped the Proteas win their first World Cup.

Soon followed his T20 debut the same year, in which he dismissed Glenn Maxwell for a duck, tearing past his defence. His ODI debut, one he will remember for a lifetime, followed the next year.

Rabada recorded the best-ever figures by any bowler on his ODI debut. He, along with Fidel Edwards, became the only bowler in the world to have taken a six-wicket haul in their first ODI.

On the tour of Bangladesh the same year, the speedster picked up a hat-trick in Mirpur.

#2 Mustafizur Rahman

Rahman is only the second bowler to take five-wicket hauls in his first two ODIs

Mustafizur Rahman or Fizz, as he is fondly called, became a sensation overnight when he gave a tough time to the Indian batting line-up on his ODI début. He became only the second bowler to take five-wicket hauls in his first two ODIs, which also helped Bangladesh register their first-ever ODI series win over India.

Mustafizur impressed in the shorter format too, as was seen in his exploits for the Sunrisers Hyderabad and other T20 franchises around the world. And all of that began after he impressed during his campaign of the 2014 U-19 World Cup.

The Bangladeshi took nine wickets from the six games that he played, at an average of 18.44. At present, he is one of the few ODI bowlers to boast of an average of less than 20.

#3 Tim Southee

Southee was the star performer of the 2008 U19 World Cup

Although it was the Indian cricket team that won the 2008 edition of the U19 World Cup, it was Tim Southee who stole the show and was awarded the player of the tournament. The opening bowler impressed with his consistent line and length, coupled with good pace.

He ended the tournament with 17 wickets from five matches, at an average of 6.64 and impressive economy rate of 2.52 runs per over.

One of his best figures was that of 5-11 in a game against Zimbabwe. He was rewarded with a debut in all three formats the very same year, and today, he has 208 Test wickets, 174 ODI wickets and 62 T20I wickets.

#4 Josh Hazlewood

Hazlewood was Australia's star performer in the U19 World Cup 2010

Josh Hazlewood was Australia’s best bowler in the 2010 edition of the U19 World Cup, taking 13 wickets, including a 4-26 in the final which also won him the player-of-the-match award. He was awarded his ODI debut the same year but had to wait another three years for his T20 and Test debut.

Today, the New South Welshman has formed a formidable pace attack alongside Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins. He also boasts of a good Ashes campaign, grabbing 21 wickets at 25.9 in Australia’s 4-0 series triumph.

Overall, the 27-year-old has taken 216 wickets from 84 international games

#5 James Faulkner

Faulkner was the man of the match in the 2015 World Cup final

Australia’s James Faulkner played in the 2008 edition of the U19 World Cup, in which he took two wickets from five innings. His international records, however, are much better. He made his international debut in 2012 in a T20I against India at Sydney, ODI debut in 2013 against West Indies and Test debut, which is also the only Test match he has played, against England in 2013.

From 24 T20Is, the bowling allrounder has 36 wickets, and from 69 ODIs, he has 96 wickets. In the only Test he has played, Faulkner took six wickets. Notably, Faulkner was the Man of the Match in the 2015 World Cup final win over New Zealand, in which he registered figures of 3 for 36.