Yash Dhull-led India created history as they entered the final of Under-19 World Cup for the fourth consecutive edition. Unbeaten in the tournament so far, India dominated three-time U-19 World Cup champions. In a one-sided affair, India won the match by a big margin of 96 runs at the Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua. India will now face England in an attempt to win their record fifth U-19 World Cup title on February 5.
Early wickets
After Dhull won the toss and opted to bat first, India got off to a slow start against quality Australian fast bowlers. Unable to score freely, Indian openers Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Harnoor Singh lost their wickets without making a major impact. With India struggling at 37/2, Dhull joined vice-captain Shaik Rasheed in the middle. The two steadied the ship and then dominated Aussie bowlers.
Match-winning partnership
Dhull and Rasheed shared a 204-run stand for the third wicket that laid a solid platform for a big total in the semi-final. Dhull got to his century and joined the elite list of Indian captains Virat Kohli and Unmukt Chand. The Delhi-born batter scored 108 runs from 108 deliveries including 10 fours and one six. On the other hand, Rasheed missed his century as he was dismissed for 94 runs from 108 deliveries. He hit eight fours and one six in his 94-run knock.
Epic slogging
In the last 10 overs, India piled on 108 runs despite losing the two set batters. Wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Bana helped India finish the innings with a flourish as he faced just four deliveries to score 20 runs. Before Bana, Rajvardhan Hangargekar and Nishant Sindhu contributed with 12 and unbeaten 13 respectively. For Australia, Jack Nisbet and William Salzmann picked up two wickets each whereas other bowlers remained wicketless. Tom Whitney turned out to be the most expensive Aussie bowler as he conceded 74 runs in his nine overs.
Run chase cut short
Chasing a big total of 291 (as per Under-19 standards), Australia got off to a poor start as they lost opener Teague Wyllie for a single-digit score to left-arm pacer Ravi Kumar. The second-wicket partnership of 68 runs got India nervous for a while but Raghuvanshi provided the breakthrough in the form of Corey Miller who scored a 46-ball 38. In the next over, Australia faced another setback as skipper Connor Connolly fell to Nishant Sindhu. Giving in to the scoreboard pressure and quick fall of wickets, opener Campbell Kellaway threw his wicket away. Kellaway scored 30 runs from 53 deliveries. In a matter of 12 runs, Australia lost three quick wickets and were reduced to 83/4 in the 21st over with required run rate climbing up.
Lachlan Shaw took charge of the proceedings but did not find much support from the lower-middle over. Nivethan Radhakrishnan (11), Salzmann (7) and wicketkeeper-batter Tobias Anell (4) struggled to get going and got stuck in the Indian spin web. Jack Sinfield’s cameo kept Australian fans interested for some time but he got stumped trying to over-attack. Sinfield scored a 14-ball 20 including two fours and one six.
Shaw got to his half-century from 64 deliveries. However, it was just a consolation as he dragged the ball on to his stumps in the 39th over and got out for 51. Tom Whitney delayed the inevitable for few overs with his 17-ball 19 including two sixes but a confusion led to his run out and Australia got all out for 194 with 49 balls left in the innings.
