Stats Analysis

India's cup, South Africa's stats

Eleven numbers from the World Cup

S Rajesh
S Rajesh
27-Aug-2012
South Africa had the best run-rate and economy rate in the tournament, and were the only side to score more than 350 in an innings and never concede 200-plus to the opposition. However, a knockout game proved to be their undoing again. Here's a look at some of the key numbers from the World Cup:
3 - The number of centuries Unmukt Chand has scored in tournament finals in Under-19 ODIs. He is the only U-19 batsman to score more than once hundred in a final. In four innings he has scored 358 runs and has been dismissed twice; the second-highest aggregate for any batsman in U-19 finals is 180.
3 - The number of U-19 World Cups won by India, which makes them the most successful team along with Australia - both have won three titles. Pakistan have two and England one.
365 - The tournament aggregate for Anamul Haque of Bangladesh, which was the highest in this tournament. Haque was the only batsman to score more than 300. Overall, this was the eighth-highest in any World Cup tournament.
19 - The total number of wickets for Reece Topley, which was the highest in the tournament, and the second-highest in any U-19 World Cup. Bangladesh's Enamul Haque had taken 22 in the 2004 edition.
4.23 - The overall run-rate in the tournament. Among the nine U-19 World Cups, this one sits right in the middle in terms of run-rates, and fourth in terms of batting averages.
15 - The number of centuries in this tournament, which equals the record for any U-19 World Cup - 15 hundreds were also scored in the 2004 tournament in Bangladesh. On the other hand, the lowest is three hundreds, in 1988, 2000 and 2008. Among the individual teams in this tournament, Bangladesh scored three hundreds and South Africa two; no other team managed more than one.
5.39 - The batting run-rate for South Africa, which was easily the highest among all teams in this tournament - the second-highest was Sri Lanka at 4.91. South Africa's batting average of 33.37 was second only to Australia's 34.23. India's average of 26.17 was seventh among all teams. South Africa's 359 for 6 against Namibia was the highest score of the tournament, and one of only two 300-plus totals in this World Cup.
3.62 - South Africa's economy rate, which was also the best among all teams in the tournament, as was their bowling average of 15.80. However, India did better with the ball than with the bat, averaging 19.30 at an economy rate of 3.81. South Africa were also the only team not to concede 200 even once in the tournament (though Australia beat them by scoring 193 for 6 in 48.3 overs in the semi-finals).
212 - The stand between South Africa's Quinton de Kock and Chad Bowes against Namibia, which was the only 200-plus stand of this tournament, and the fifth in all U-19 World Cups.
130 - The partnership between Unmukt and Smit Patel in the final, which is the highest, and only the second century partnership, in an U-19 World Cup final. Unmukt's unbeaten 111 was the fourth century, and the highest score, in a World Cup final.
5 - The number of World Cup finals, out of nine, which have been won by the team batting second. However, the team batting first had won the last four finals before this one -in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010.

S Rajesh is stats editor of ESPNcricinfo. Follow him on Twitter