Which of the following statements about the ICC under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup, 2024 is/are correct? 1. Australia won this title for the 4th time. 2. It was organised in South Africa. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- (a)1 only
- (b)2 only
- (c)Both 1 and 2
- (d)Neither 1 nor 2
Correct — C, Both 1 and 2. Australia beat India by 79 runs in the final at Willowmoore Park, Benoni, to win the 2024 ICC Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup, and that was their fourth title in the competition, after 1988, 2002 and 2010. Statement 2 is also right: the tournament was staged in South Africa, which had hosted the previous edition in 2020 as well. The final was played in early February 2024, ten weeks or so before this paper.
- (a)1 only — Accepts Australia's fourth title but denies the host. The 2024 edition was played in South Africa.
- (b)2 only — Accepts the host but denies the count. Australia had won in 1988, 2002 and 2010, so 2024 made it four.
- (d)Neither 1 nor 2 — Both statements are in fact correct, so rejecting them together is the furthest from the result.
The Under-19 Cricket World Cup is the International Cricket Council's junior world championship, first held in 1988 and biennial since 1998. India is the most successful side in its history, and Australia's four titles put them second on that list. The tournament matters beyond the trophy because it is where most Test cricketers are first seen at an international level.
Two-statement items of this shape are usually answered on the weaker half. Almost everyone remembers that India lost the 2024 final; far fewer remember the host country or Australia's title count, so the work is in fixing those. A useful memory hook is that South Africa hosted both the 2020 and the 2024 editions, and that India were beaten finalists in 2020 as well — losing that one to Bangladesh. Keep the record time-stamped: India won the 2026 edition, so a question asking who holds the trophy has a different answer today from the one this paper was set against.
- Australia beat India by 79 runs in the final at Willowmoore Park, Benoni.
- It was Australia's fourth Under-19 World Cup title, after 1988, 2002 and 2010.
- The 2024 edition was hosted by South Africa, which had also hosted in 2020.
- India is the most successful team in the tournament's history, with titles in 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022 and 2026.
- Remembering the losing finalist and forgetting the host country.
- Confusing the 2020 edition, also in South Africa, with the 2024 one.
- Quoting a title count without checking whether later editions have changed it.
As a two-statement item on a recent tournament — winner, host, margin and count are all fair game, so record all four when a final is played.
Consider the following statements in respect of the first Kho Kho World Cup: I. The event was held in Delhi, India. II. Indian men beat Nepal with a score of 78–40 in the final to become the World Champion in men category. III. Indian women beat Nepal with a score of 54–36 in the final to become the World Champion in women category. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) I only
- (b) II and III only
- (c) I and III only
- (d) I, II and III
Answer(a) I only
The identical trap in a different sport — a statement set in which the host is easy and the scoreline or count is where the item is actually decided. UPSC swapped two winning margins; CDS tested a title count.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The 2024 ICC Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup final was contested between
- (a)India and Bangladesh
- (b)Australia and India
- (c)England and South Africa
- (d)Pakistan and Australia
Answer(b) Australia and India — Australia won by 79 runs at Benoni.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Which country has won the Under-19 Cricket World Cup the greatest number of times?
- (a)Australia
- (b)Pakistan
- (c)India
- (d)England
Answer(c) India — the most successful side in the tournament's history, ahead of Australia's four titles.