ICC U19 World Cup 2020: West Indies players come up with ‘shoe cleaning’ celebration

West Indian cricketers have always been entertainers. In the past, their Calypso dance had mesmerized the world. In the current times, the likes of Chris Gayle and Andre Russell are top-rankers when it comes to entertaining the supporters. Sheldon Cottrell, with his military salute, has taken the celebrations on the ground whenever he takes a wicket a stage further. And now, the Caribbeans’ U19 players have also joined the party.

The U19 World Cup kicked off in South Africa on Friday and on Saturday, the West Indies colts took on their Australian counterparts at Diamond Oval, Kimberley. West Indian captain Kimani Melius won the toss and asked the Kangaroos to bat first in a Group B game that was reduced to 49 overs.

The Australians lost four quick wickets before a 91-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Jake Fraser-McGurk (84) and wicketkeeper-batsman Patrick Rowe (40). However, it was the dismissal of Rowe that saw something unique happening on the ground.

It was in the 33rd over when Rowe tried to cut away pacer Jayden Seales but was caught by captain Melius and as the bowler ran around to acknowledge his teammates’ greetings, his opening partner in bowling Matthew Forde sat in front of him and gestured as he was cleaning his right boot.

Other West Indian players were amused to see the unique celebration of the crucial wicket. Rowe’s dismissal saw Australia losing their seventh wicket for 162 and their innings did not last long. Mackenzie Harvey’s team was all out for 179 in less than 38 overs, losing their last six wickets for just 21 runs. Seales (four) and Forde (three) claimed seven scalps between them to take the West Indies to the top.

Watch the celebration here

The other two teams in Group B are England and Nigeria. On the opening day, Afghanistan stunned hosts South Africa by 7 wickets after bowling them out for just 129 in a Group D game. Defending Champions India will kick off their campaign on Sunday when they take on Sri Lanka in Bloemfontein. The other two teams in their group (A) are New Zealand and Japan.