The India vs Australia U19 Final is just a day away. The Uday Saharan side will be gunning for a sixth Under 19 World Cup title against the Aussies, who are two-time winners themselves. However, among the appreciation for the Men in Blue, former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly has criticized the BCCI for not hosting the event that cultivates the future stars of the sport.
Talking with RevSportz regarding the BCCI not hosting the U19 World Cup, Sourav Ganguly said:
“There is no particular reason to it. The other World Cups are played in India. What’s wrong if this one is played in places where the senior World Cups don’t take place that often? It’s one way of taking the game to other countries.”
Ganguly admitted that the Under 19 World Cup makes losses. But given how it breeds the next generation of cricketers, profit should be accounted for in such a tournament.
“You can say it’s a loss-making tournament. Most World Cups not featuring the senior men’s teams are non-profit. But that’s not the reason the U-19 World Cup hasn’t been played in India. And I think it’s going to be held in India.”
For the unaware, the current Under 19 World Cup is being held in South Africa. The event was supposed to be held in Sri Lanka but was given to Cricket South Africa following the temporary suspension of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) last year.
Including this one, all 13 editions of the event have been held outside India, and the next edition will be played in Zimbabwe and Namibia in 2026.
