India captain Dhull and deputy Rasheed first beat COVID-19 and then Australia in U-19 World Cup semis; respective coaches thrilled
Yash Dhull (left) and Shaik Rasheed during their 204-run stand on Wednesday. Pic/BCCI
Patience and sheer grit exhibited by India U-19 captain Yash Dhull (110, 10x4, 1x6) and his deputy Shaik Rasheed (94, 8x4, 1x6) helped the Boys in Blue outclass Australia by 96 runs in the World Cup semi-final at Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua on Wednesday.
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Batting first, India were struggling at 37-2 before Dhull and Rasheed put on a 204-run partnership to help the team amass 290-5 in the allotted 50 overs. Left-arm spinners Vickey Ostwal (3-42) and Nishant Sindhu (2-25) and pacer Ravi Kumar (2-37) then helped bundle the Aussies for just 194 in 41.5 overs to ensure India reached their fourth successive U-19 World Cup final. India face England in the summit clash at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Saturday.
J Krishna Rao and Pradeep Kochar
Not an easy journey
However, the journey this far for both, skipper and his deputy, has been anything but easy as they tested positive for COVID-19 midway through the tournament and were out of action for over a week.
Dhull smashed 82 in the tournament opener, where India beat South Africa by 45 runs on January 15. But thereafter, he could only return to the side for the quarter-final against Bangladesh, scoring an unbeaten 20 on January 29.
Dhull’s Delhi-based coach Pradeep Kochar revealed how his ward overcame desperate times during his quarantine phase. “The quarantine phase was very difficult because Yash played a beautiful knock in the first game and then fell ill. When we spoke, he was upset and desperate to play. I sternly told him to follow the rules and act only as per the team management and doctor’s instructions. He kept his patience, recovered and played a crucial innings when it was needed the most,” Kochar told mid-day on Thursday.
‘Brilliant batting’
Kochar hailed Dhull’s maturity and his ability to thrive under pressure. He said: “Yesterday’s [Wednesday] wicket was slightly better, but the pitch during the game against South Africa was more challenging. Also, I rate his innings against the Proteas higher because of their strong bowling attack. But he batted brilliantly against the Aussies too, particularly after he reached 70. It was as though he was batting in the nets.”
Just like skipper Dhull, Rasheed too played just two games before the semi-final, scoring 31 and 26 against SA and Bangladesh respectively. But his true character came shining in the semi-final, felt his Hyderabad-based coach J Krishna Rao.
‘Nervous and disappointed’
“We had a long chat on phone when he was quarantined. He was nervous and disappointed because the other boys were playing matches while he was just sitting in his room. We discussed a few things. I told him that he has to accept his COVID situation and focus only on the controllables. We discussed a couple of tactical things too, but most importantly, I stressed on maintaining a positive mindset,” said Rao.
And Rasheed’s positivity was in full view against the Aussies. “Shaik played a very vital role. After losing quick wickets, the team needed a solid partnership and he helped shape the innings perfectly. He reads the game well and adapts to situations quickly. His match awareness and ability to handle pressure have helped him succeed,” added Rao.
212
No. of runs scored by skipper Yash Dhull in three matches @ 106.00
Brief scores
India 290-5 in 50 overs (Y Dhull 110, S Rasheed 94; J Nisbet 2-41, W Salzmann 2-57) beat Australia 194 all out in 41.5 overs (L Shaw 51, C Miller 38, C Kellaway 30; V Ostwal 3-42, N Sindhu 2-25, R Kumar 2-37) by 96 runs
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