India U19 lifted their sixth ICC Under 19 World Cup trophy after a nail-biting three-wicket victory over Australia U19 in the final at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Sunday. Chasing a modest target of 178, India U19 were in trouble at 144 for 7, but captain Uday Saharan (47 not out) and tailender Ravi Patel (12 not out) held their nerves and guided their team home with two overs to spare.

Australia U19, who were unbeaten in the tournament until the final, had a dismal start after opting to bat first. They lost their openers cheaply and were reduced to 17 for 2 in the sixth over. India U19’s pace trio of Anshul Singh, Pranav Sharma and Aryan Jain bowled with discipline and accuracy, and did not allow the Australian batsmen to settle. Only skipper Ryan Smith (46) and middle-order batsman Josh Clarke (32) showed some resistance, but they could not convert their starts into big scores. Australia U19 were eventually bowled out for 177 in 47.2 overs, with Anshul Singh taking 3 for 31 and Pranav Sharma taking 2 for 24.

India U19’s chase was not smooth either, as they lost wickets at regular intervals. Australia U19’s seamers Mitchell Starc Jr, James Pattinson Jr and Pat Cummins Jr exploited the conditions well and kept the pressure on the Indian batsmen. India U19 were in a comfortable position at 101 for 3 in the 25th over, but a middle-order collapse saw them lose four wickets for 43 runs. Australia U19 sensed an opportunity to pull off an upset, but Uday Saharan and Ravi Patel had other plans. The duo added an unbeaten 34-run stand for the eighth wicket and took India U19 over the line. Uday Saharan was named the man of the match for his match-winning knock, while Anshul Singh was named the player of the tournament for his 15 wickets in six matches.

India U19 became the first team to win the U19 World Cup six times, having previously won it in 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018 and 2020. Australia U19 finished as the runners-up for the fourth time, after 2006, 2010 and 2018. Both teams received a standing ovation from the crowd for their spirited performance in the final.

Sources: Hindustan Times, Indian Express, India TV News, Cricbuzz, ICC, ICC Cricket