For the second consecutive year, Assupol TUKS of South Africa claimed the championship title after beating England in the finale.
Dehradun, India – South Africa’s Assupol TUKS (121/2, 16.5 overs) beat Loughborough MCC University of England (120/9) by 8 wickets in Red Bull Campus Cricket world final.
The six-day-long tournament had eight of the world’s best college cricket teams from India, Pakistan, Australia, South Africa, England, Bangladesh, UAE and Sri Lanka put up the toughest fight for the championship title.
England started off at a good click, reaching 46/1 in 6.2 overs while tournament mainstays Irfan Karim (42 runs, 42 balls, 5 fours) and Nitish Kumar (15 runs, 11 balls, 3 fours) were at the crease and the stage was set for a 150+ score. Vincent Moore (3/28) and Dustin Melton (2/25) had other ideas though. They ripped through the untested English middle order and restricted them to just 120/9. The South African’s quest for 121 can be best summarized as clinical. Skipper and Man of the Match Aiden Markram (67 runs, 53 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) top scored with Man of the Series Murray Coetzee (33 runs, 29 balls, 3 fours) providing steady support and seeing the team through to the end.
Tournament director and ex-cricketer Javagal Srinath, who was present at the finals, said, “I believe it is important that cricket and education go hand-in-hand. And Red Bull Campus Cricket is a one-of-a-kind tournament that allows young cricketers to showcase their talent on a global scale and play on foreign fields.”
Also present at the event was Indian fast-bowler Varun Aaron who has been supporting the tournament for the last few years.
Man of the Match: Aiden Markram (South Africa)
Man of the Series: Murray Coetzee (South Africa)
Best Bowler: Abhishek Vats (India)
Best Batsman: Irfan Karim (England)
Best Fielder: Aiden Markram (South Africa)
About Red Bull Campus Cricket:
Red Bull Campus Cricket is a global T20 cricket tournament for university cricket teams, serving as an international platform for young and budding cricketers to showcase their talent and hone their skills. The World Finals of the championship is now in its fourth year. The respective teams have each won national qualifiers to represent their countries at the world finals.