Australia emerged victorious over India in the U-19 Cricket World Cup with 79 runs in an one-side encounter.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss on Sunday, the Australia U-19 team posted a total of 253 runs, losing seven wickets in their allotted 50 overs. In response, the India U-19 team faced continuous challenges from the outset and eventually succumbed to all-out, managing only 174 runs in 43.5 overs in pursuit of 254 runs.
It appeared that luck wasn’t on the side of the young Indian batsmen during the crucial final match at Sahara Park Willowmoore Cricket Stadium. Even Uday Saharan, the top scorer of the tournament and captain of India U-19, struggled, managing just eight runs in the final. Saharan had accumulated an impressive 397 runs throughout the tournament, including a century against Nepal.
In addition to the captain’s disappointment, key players like Musheer Khan and Sachin Dhas, who had been consistent performers for India in the U-19 World Cup 2024, faced batting difficulties. Khan, despite getting off to a promising start, fell victim to Australian fast bowler Mehli Beardman after scoring 22 runs, while Dhas could only contribute nine runs to the team’s total.
Notably, the right-hander had a good run in this edition of the U19 World Cup, scoring 360 runs, including a tremendous 131-run inning against New Zealand. whereas the No. 5 has scored 303 runs, including 116 runs against Nepal.
The Indian team managed to salvage a bit of positivity despite their 79-run defeat, showing resilience after being in a tough spot at 122/8 during the chase. They rallied to score 52 runs for the last two wickets before ultimately succumbing to the Australians. Murugan Perumal Abhishek’s rapid 42 and Naman Tiwari’s determined 14 exemplified their fighting spirit till the very end.
Opener Adarsh Singh emerged as the top scorer for the Indian team in the finals, scoring 47 runs.
From the beginning, the Australian bowlers relentlessly sought wickets and exerted pressure on India’s run rate. Fast bowlers Beardman and Rafael Macmillan claimed three wickets each, while Callum Vilder, Australia’s leading wicket-taker, secured two wickets, conceding 35 runs in his 10 overs.
This victory marks Australia’s redemption following their defeat to India in the previous edition of the U-19 World Cup in 2020.