🏏ICC U19 WC 2024: Final : Australia vs India, W P, Benoni 🏏

🏏ICC U19 WC 2024: Final 2: Australia vs India, W P, Benoni 🏏

************

India, the defending champions, are the most successful side in the competition's history. Playing in their ninth final, they will be gunning for their sixth title.

The Indian team has won the Under-19 World Cup five times and finished runners-up thrice. In 2000, they won it under the captaincy of Mohammad Kaif, in 2008, they won it under Virat Kohli's leadership, in 2012 under Unmukt Chand, in 2018 under Prithvi Shaw, and in 2022 under Yash Dhull.

India and Australia are set to meet in the showpiece finale of the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2024, a repeat of their Finals in last year's ICC World Test Championship and ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.

Both sides, undefeated in the tournament thus far, will have an opportunity to add to their cricketing history in Benoni TODAY!

Over the last 12 months, Australia have won three major ICC trophies, which include the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023 in addition to the aforementioned titles. Tomorrow's game will be an opportunity to add yet another silverware to their cabinet.

On the other hand, India have won the U19 Men's Cricket World Cup on five previous occasions, and have a record sixth title on the line. If they manage to win, this will be their first successful title defence.

The teams have met in the U19 Men's Cricket World Cup final twice before with India emerging victorious on both occasions (2012 and 2018).

Tournament trends for the finalists

India dominated their group and Super Six encounters with commanding victories over Bangladesh, Ireland, and the USA that helped them secure the pole position in Group A. Musheer Khan and Uday Saharan starred with the bat in the group stage, whereas Naman Tiwari and Saumy Pandey stood out with the ball.

Continuing their golden run in the Super Six, India were the comfortable victors against New Zealand and Nepal. Saharan, Musheer, and Sachin Dhas made important contributions with the willow.

Having topped Group 1 of the Super Six, India faced off against hosts South Africa in the semi-final. The knockout contest was a stern test with significant threat from Kwena Maphaka and Tristan Luus, but Saharan and Dhas steered India through to the final.

A confident side when setting a target for their opponents (each of their first five wins was secured in this fashion), India's victory against South Africa showed that they were also prepared to master chases when required.

For Hugh Weibgen’s Australia, different players have come to the fore at different stages of the tournament. Weibgen, Callum Vidler, Harry Dixon, Harkirat Bajwa, and Ryan Hicks stood out during the group stage, where the side showed varying levels of dominance in wins over Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Sri Lanka.

In the Super Six stage, Weibgen's sensational century against rivals England set the tone for a dominant win in Kimberley. Sam Konstas contributed with a hundred in the next game against West Indies, which helped Australia to a competitive total. However, persistant rain forced the match to be called off. On the back of this undefeated run, Australia reached the semi-finals as Group 2 toppers.

In the semi-finals against Pakistan, Australia's batting faltered yet again after Tom Straker’s six-wicket haul had put them on top. Digging deep, they managed to scrape through by one wicket in the final over of the game.

Like India, Australia have secured confident wins when batting first, but have been made to sweat in their chases.

Head-to-head battles to watch out for

Arshin Kulkarni v Callum Vidler

Callum Vidler has been Australia’s standout bowler with the new ball, his immaculate line and length troubling the top-order batters in the opposition. On the other hand, Arshin Kulkarni has notably struggled against early seam movement. Three of his dismissals in the tournament have come with edges behind to the wicket-keeper or the slip cordon.

Given Vidler’s skill with the new ball, the Australian will be a significant threat to the India opener.

Sachin Dhas v Tom Straker

With 116 and 96 in his last two games, Sachin Dhas is in premium form. His backfoot prowess also makes him a key batter against a strong Australia bowling unit, who are known for their zip and bounce.

However, the change of pace hasn't quite sat well with Dhas this tournament, seeing him struggle with his timing against the slower balls. Straker has been clever with his pace variations and the seamer is coming into the showdown fresh from a six-wicket haul in the last game and can trouble Dhas.

Hugh Weibgen vs Saumy Pandey

Weibgen, the pillar of Australia's middle-order, was undone by left-arm spinners in three out of six innings in the tournament, against Zimbabwe’s Ryan Simbi, England's Theo Wylie, and Sri Lanka’s Vishwa Lahiru.

Saumy has been the best left-arm spinner in the tournament, and accounted for the Australia skipper in the warm-up game ahead of the tournament. The prospect of facing him in the final will be a daunting one for Weibgen.

Predicted XI

Both teams will be expected to feature the same XIs that played in their respective semi-finals.

Australia
Harry Dixon, Sam Konstas, Hugh Weibgen (c), Harjas Singh, Ryan Hicks (wk), Ollie Peake, Tom Campbell, Raf MacMillan, Tom Straker, Mahli Beardman, Callum Vidler

India

Adarsh Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, Musheer Khan, Uday Saharan (c), Priyanshu Moliya, Sachin Dhas, Aravelly Avanish (wk), Murugan Abhishek, Naman Tiwari, Raj Limbani, Saumy Pandey.

Captain Uday Saharan (81) was deemed the player of the match while Sachin Dhas notched 96 as India bested South Africa by two wickets. Having been reduced to four wickets down for 32, Dhas and Saharan put together a strong partnership to nullify Kwena Mapheka and Tristan Luus, who nabbed three wickets each.

Australia on the other hand, despite Pakistan’s Ali Raza taking four wickets kept their nerves and chased down 179 with just five balls and a wicket to spare.

Throughout its existence, the tournament has undergone numerous transformations, serving as a foundational platform for many of the sport's best.

India appeared in the final of the Under-19 World Cup for the first time in the 1999-2000 edition of the tournament. Making their debut appearance in the Under-19 World Cup final, India displayed a clinical performance to get the better of Sri Lanka by six wickets.

2006 World Cup

India featured in the Under-19 World Cup final for the second time in February 2006 but this time it turned out to be a heart-breaking affair. Facing arch-rivals Pakistan in the final, India conceded a 38-run defeat. Chasing a mere total of 110, the Indian team were bowled out for 71.

2008 World Cup

India carried forward their brilliance in the next edition of the competition and reached the final stage once again. Led by Virat Kohli, the Indian youngsters displayed a spirited performance to beat South Africa by 12 runs (D/L method) in the final.

Virat Kohli celebrates after guiding India to U19 World Cup win in 2008. AFP

2012 World Cup

Indian pulled off a triumphant run once again at the 2012 Under-19 World Cup held in Australia. India Under-19, under the leadership of Unmukt Chand, defeated Australia in the final by six wickets. Skipper Unmukt Chand was adjudged player of the match in the final having produced a magnificent century.

2016 World Cup

India managed to reach the final of the 2015-16 Under-19 World Cup but they fell short at the last stage. Facing a solid West Indies team, comprising the likes of Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul and Alzarri Joseph, India conceded a five-wicket defeat in the final. Chasing a total of 146, the Caribbean side scored the winning runs with three balls to spare.

2018 World Cup

India rectified their errors and went one step further to successfully lift the trophy in the next edition of the Under-19 World Cup. Facing a formidable Australian team in the final, the Prithvi Shaw-led side scripted an emphatic eight-wicket victory to emerge Under-19 world champions.

Prithvi Shaw with U19 World Cup trophy in 2018. AFP

2020 World Cup

India once again reached the final of the Under-19 World Cup in the next edition but this time their campaign turned out to be a heart-breaking one. Facing neighbours Bangladesh, the Indian team suffered a three-wicket defeat in the final.

2022 World Cup

Thanks to Raj Bawa’s sensational all-round prowess, India got the better of England in the final to win their fifth Under-19 World Cup title last time. Batting first, the English side folded for 189 in that game. Raj scripted sensational figures of 5/31 to earn an upper hand for India. Later, Raj pulled off a vital knock of 35 off 54 balls to clinch a remarkable win for India. Nishant Sindhu and Shaik Rasheed also contributed significantly having scored a half century each for India in that game.

Virat Kohli-led India claimed the U-19 World Cup title in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, after a 12-run win (by D/L method) against South Africa in 2008.

Both teams are unbeaten in this year's tournament

- Both sides also survived thrillers in the semi-finals, with Australia beating Pakistan and India beating hosts South Africa

Both India and Australia have got to the final on the backs of two extraordinarily close semi-final victories. While India beat South Africa by two wickets with seven balls to spare, Australia were pushed to the brink by Pakistan and won by one wicket with five balls to spare.

India vs Australia Live Score, Final U19 World Cup 2024: (PTI)

Uday Saharan's team had a comfortable run in the ongoing U19 World Cup and stayed unbeaten in the tournament. The 'Boys in Blues' mostly chose to bat first in the tournament, slowly scoring initially and then starting to smash in the death overs. In the semi-final match, they faced South Africa where they decided to field first and faced a difficult challenge with their top-order falling in front of the Proteas bowling attack.

Feb 11, 2024 09:59 AM IST

Naman Tiwari recalled his interactions with Jasprit Bumrah at the NCA ahead of India's U19 World Cup final against Australia on Sunday

Naman Tiwari, a rising talent in the India U19 cricket team, harbours a lofty ambition: to bowl the fastest ball ever witnessed in the sport. At just 18 years old, the left-arm pacer draws inspiration from watching videos of legendary fast bowlers while diligently following the guidance provided by India's pace sensation, Jasprit Bumrah.