The ongoing ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup got mired in controversy on Tuesday when the West Indies team controversially "mankaded" the last Zimbawe batsman to clinch a must-win game by two runs. In their Group C match, the Windies needed to beat Zimbabwe for a place in the quarter-finals. After batting first and putting on 226-9 in their 50 overs, Zimbabwe needed three runs from the last over with one wicket in hand.
However, as the West Indian bowler Keemo Paul came in to bowl the first ball of the final over, he did not enter his delivery stride and whipped of the balls at the non-striker's end with Zimbabwean Richard Ngarava out of his crease. After a lengthy deliberation between the umpires, who also asked the West Indies skipper Shimron Hetmyer whether he wanted to withdraw the appeal, Ngarava was given out. West Indies thus won the match by two runs.
Zimbabwe captain Brandon Mavuta refused to comment on the controversial incident after the match. He said, "We got so close. No comment about it. I don't have anything to say right now."
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