Even as India lost to Bangladesh in a close Under-19 World Cup final, Yashasvi Jaiswal stood out once again and was adjudged the man of the tournament. The 18-year old, who finished the tournament as the highest scorer with 400 runs to his name and a valiant 88 in the final, said he wants to continue the process and take it forward as he eyes a berth in the senior team in the coming years.
“I really enjoyed the tournament. I had a good experience here on how to play in these wickets. I knew I had to play smartly,” he said after the match.
“I am thinking about what I am playing next and it’s about the process. I want to stick with that,” he added. It has been a roller coaster ride for the UP-born player, who had to make ends meet by selling paanipuris on the streets of Mumbai in his initial days after his father moved to the big city.
Jaiswal has taken the U19 World Cup by storm. His unbeaten century in India’s 10-wicket win in the semi-final against Pakistan had class written all over it and the southpaw displayed that in the final too. He ended the tournament with four half centuries and one hundred to his name and scored at least a half century in all but one match in this tournament. But in the end, it was not enough as Bangladesh won via D/L method chasing India’s paltry 177 to script their maiden World Cup win.
