Keep an eye on Sarfaraz Khan and Alzarri Joseph
Thursday 18 February 2016 10:24, UK
Cricket's rising stars did battle in the 2016 Under 19 Cricket World Cup, with West Indies claiming a maiden title by beating India in the final.
Chris Gayle, Graeme Smith and Shikhar Dhawan, the top run scorers in the 1998, 2000 and 2004 tournaments respectively, have all transferred impressive form from the event to the senior stage.
So which of the Class of 2016 could make a similar impact in the big leagues? An Englishman is among them. Have your say by filling out the comments box at the foot of the page...
Jack Burnham (England)
Durham star Burnham knocked Alastair Cook off his perch as England's highest run scorer at an Under 19 World Cup, with his 420 runs at 84.00 beating the current Test skipper's tally of 383 from 2004. Burnham's haul, aided by three centuries, was the best return in the 2016 competition and the biggest since Dhawan amassed 505 runs 12 years ago. Burnham, cool against spin and clinical against pace, struck 15 sixes from his No 3 berth and will be hoping to nail down a spot at county level in 2016, having made just four Championship appearances to date.
Alzarri Joseph (West Indies)
The top wicket-taker accolade went to Namibia left-armer Fritz Coetzee (15) but possibly the finest seamer on show was Joseph, who claimed 13 scalps. Tall, rangy and equally at home bowling a bouncer or a yorker, the Antigua-born seamer showed his quality in the final by removing India's top three for a combined eight runs. With batsman Shamar Springer striking one ton and two half-centuries and the hard-hitting and excitable Gidron Pope and captain Shimron Hetmyer also passing fifty twice, West Indies seem to have a top young crop coming through.
Mehedi Hasan Miraz (Bangladesh)
Player of the Tournament Mehedi impressed in every aspect of the game as Bangladesh progressed to the semi-finals of their home World Cup. Not only did he prove a dynamic captain but he also scored four punchy fifties and collected 12 wickets with his off-breaks, including three in the third-place play-off victory over Sri Lanka. Bangladesh's senior side has a highly-effective spinning all-rounder in Shakib Al Hasan and if Mehedi carries on in this fashion, it may soon have two. Keep an on his team-mate Nazmul Hossain Shanto, too - he is now the highest run scorer ever in Youth ODIs.
Sarfaraz Khan (India)
As Alex Hales racked up fifty after fifty in England's ODI series in South Africa, India star Sarfaraz did the same at the World Cup, plundering five half-centuries in six innings. His form should hardly come as a surprise, though. Sarfaraz became the youngest player to figure in the IPL last year when he made his debut for Royal Challengers Bangalore at the age of 17, clubbing 45 from just 21 balls in his second match. People were talking about his team-mates Gayle, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers before the game. They weren't after it.
Hasan Mohsin (Pakistan)
If you average 97.66 with the bat and 14.81 with the ball, you haven't done too bad! That's what Pakistan all-rounder Moshin accomplished in Bangladesh by posting a ton, a fifty and a string of not outs, as well as snaring 11 wickets with his seam. The bowling antics were particularly special considering Mohsin, Man of the Match on three occasions at the World Cup, only took up bowling pace in mid-2015 having previously operated as a leg-spinner. Mohsin's switch meant Shadab Khan served as Pakistan's chief leggie and he did so with aplomb, nabbing 11 scalps at 19s.
