Many youngsters have set aside the pressure of the World Cup to make an impact in the tournament over the years. Here’s Wisden’s all-time under-25 XI of the tournament.

The overall performance of cricketers in World Cups till the age of 25 has been considered, with preference given to players who turned out in two tournaments before they turned 26.

Sachin Tendulkar (1992, 1996)

806 runs @ 67.16, 100s: 2, 50s: 6

Tendulkar played the 1992 and 1996 editions before turning 26, scoring two hundreds and six fifties in 14 innings. He stamped his authority from the start and ended as the team’s second-highest run-scorer in the 1992 World Cup on the bouncy wickets of Australia and New Zealand. In the 1996 event at home, Tendulkar crossed 50 in five out of seven innings and finished as the leading run-scorer.

Rachin Ravindra (2023)

565 runs @ 70.62, 100s: 3, 50s: 2

The New Zealand youngster has lived up to the inspiration behind his name and will partner Tendulkar in the XI. No other batter made more than 250 runs at a higher average than him before turning 25 in the history of the World Cup; no one else has as many hundreds either. An injury replacement, Ravindra was picked in the squad following the absence of Michael Bracewell, and has made the most of his chances.

Babar Azam (2019)

474 runs @ 67.71, 100s: 1, 50s: 3

No other Pakistan batter could make more than his 305 runs in the 2019 World Cup, which makes Babar’s feat even more applaudable. He often stood tall against the tougher opponents, arresting a collapse after an opener had failed. His last five knocks in the competition were: 48, 69, 101*, 45 and 96.

Nicholas Pooran (2019)

367 runs @ 52.42, 100s: 1, 50s: 2

Pooran batted at No.4 in the 2019 World Cup and what stood out was how he paced his innings according to the situation of the game. He struck a quick 118 against Sri Lanka in the run chase of 339, taking his team within 23 runs of the target, but cut down on his shots when he had to play till the end after West Indies was 55-3 against England. He will also be the wicketkeeper in our side.

Azmatullah Omarzai (2023)

353 runs @ 70.60, 50s: 3

Omarzai was arguably the biggest positive for Afghanistan in the 2023 edition. Having played just 13 ODIs before the tournament, the 23-year-old manoeuvered the spinners in the middle well, averaging 80 against them. This particularly came to the fire against India, when he had little trouble against Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja in Delhi. He remained unbeaten on 97 against South Africa, and was also handy with the ball.

David Miller (2015)

324 runs @ 64.80, 100s: 1, 50s: 0

Miller started his World Cup career with a 92-ball 132 not out after South Africa were 83-4 against Zimbabwe. He did not cross fifty in his remaining six innings but played several handy cameos, including scoring 49 off just 18 balls in the semi-final, which eventually went in vain. He struck at 139 in the tournament, the fastest for any under-25 player in the history of the World Cup with a minimum of 150 runs.

Kapil Dev (1979, 1983)

356 runs @ 44.50, 100s: 1
14 wickets @ 27.28, BBI: 5-43

Kapil remains the youngest skipper to have won a World Cup, taking India to the highs after beating the fancied West Indies. In the 1983 edition, he made an iconic 175 not out, the first ODI hundred for India, and claimed 5-43, their first five-wicket haul. He finished with 303 runs and 12 wickets, and also on to the key catch of Viv Richards in the final. He had little impact in 1979, but his heroics four years later ensures he captains our XI.

Mitchell Starc (2015)

22 wickets @ 10.18, BBI: 6-28

The left-arm pacer was on fire in the home World Cup, picking up a wicket every 17.4 deliveries and playing a big role in Australia’s win. Starc picked up at least two wickets in every game that he played, ending as the joint-highest wicket-taker along with Trent Boult, another contender in this XI. However, Starc was unplayable, and his miserly economy rate of 3.50 sees him edge ahead.

Shaheen Shah Afridi (2019, 2023)

32 wickets @ 20.09, BBI: 2

Shaheen is the only player under 25 to pick up more than 30 wickets, having played two tournaments. In 13 innings, he has gone wicketless only once, against New Zealand in Bengaluru, and is only one of two Pakistan bowlers with two five-fors in the World Cup, after his father-in-law Shahid Afridi. Though he was not at his best in the competition this year, he has still managed to scalp 16 wickets in eight games.

Anil Kumble (1996)

15 wickets @ 18.73, BBI: 3-28

Kumble was the leading wicket-taker in 1996, getting 15 wickets at an economy rate of 4.03, while his eight catches were also the most among outfielders. He picked up at least a wicket every game and played a pivotal role in India’s march to the semi-final.

Mushtaq Ahmed (1992, 1996)

26 wickets @ 21.11, BBI: 3-16

Mushtaq played a big role in Pakistan’s World Cup win in 1992, ending with 16 wickets. The fact that no other spinner got more than 10 wickets in the competition speaks volumes about the impact he had on the bouncy Australia wickets. That year, Mushtaq averaged 19.43, the third-best among all bowlers with 10 wickets. Four years later, he grabbed 10 more wickets to end with an impressive record as a youngster.

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