India is eyeing their sixth ICC Men’s U19 World Cup title, as the young brigade is gearing up to face Australia in the summit clash of U19 World Cup 2024 in Benoni, South Africa, on Sunday, February 11.

India is the most successful team in U19 World Cup history, having won the trophy five times and have made it to the final for the record ninth time. They won the first U-19 World Cup in 2000 under the leadership of Mohammed Kaif, followed by title triumphs in 2008, 2012, 2018, and 2022.

Interestingly, despite their great track record in the U19 World Cup, India has never hosted the tournament. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly said that there isn't a specific reason for the same, and the main aim is to take cricket to different parts of the world.

Sourav Ganguly told RevSportz: “There is no particular reason to it (India not hosting the U-19 World Cup). 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.”

There is another perception that the BCCI doesn't host the U19 World Cup because the tournament does not generate enough revenue and Ganguly also admitted that it's a loss-making tournament.

Ganguly signed off by saying, “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.”

(With PTI Inputs)