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Uday Saharan’s India Falter In The Final As Australia Lift U19 World Cup 2024

image-lshpqk29IND U19 vs AUS U19 (X.com)

Brief Scores: Australia Under-19: 253-7 (50 overs) [Harjas Singh: 55 (64), Hugh Weibgen: 48 (66); Raj Limbani 3/38 (10), Naman Tiwari 2/63 (9)] defeated India Under-19: 174 all out (43.5 overs) [Adarsh Singh: 47 (77), Murugan Abhishek: 42 (46); Mahli Beardman 3/15 (7), Raf MacMillan 3/43 (10)] by 79 runs.

India Under-19 failed to defend their Under-19 World Cup title as they were stunned in the 2024 final by their Australian counterparts at Benoni’s Willowmoore Park.

Singh’s 55 and Peake’s finishing act takes AUS to 253

Despite losing opener Sam Konstas for a duck to Indian speedster Raj Limbani, Australia justified their call of batting first with a confident start to their innings. While opener Harry Dixon conjured a fluent 42 from his end at the top of the order, captain Hugh Weibgen at number three himself pumped out 48 cautious runs before both were dismissed in quick succession by Naman Tiwari.

At 99-3, number four Harjas Singh shared a calculated 66-run stand with wicketkeeper-batsman Ryan Hicks. Against a brewing partnership, new-ball wizard Limbani trapped Hicks in front of stumps in one of his return spells, while Singh made his way back to the sheds a while later with a well-compiled 55 to his name.

Limbani’s timely breakthrough triggered Australia’s middle-overs collapse as they slipped from 165-3 to 187-6 in a space of just six overs. Fortunately for the Australians, 17-year-old Oliver Peake crafted 46 unbeaten runs from 43 balls to take his side past the 250-run mark by the time of their 50 overs.

Despite a three-fer for Limbani, two for Tiwari and a wicket apiece for Saumy Pandey and Musheer Khan; Australia ended up amassing a competitive World Cup final score of 253-7.

Uday Saharan and co. crumble in run-chase to Beardman

India Under-19, eyeing for their sixth World title and second in succession, were jolted early in their 254-run task by losing in-form opener Arshin Kulkarni for just three to Australian paceman Callum Vidler. Leading run-getters of the tournament, captain Uday Saharan and all-rounder Musheer Khan, were both removed by Mahli Beardman as India’s run-chase troubles further worsened at 55-3.

Emboldened by the early breakthroughs delivered by his teammates, Australian off-spinner Raf MacMillan struck off his first ball to get rid of dangerman Sachin Dhas. With all Indian hopes dwindling at 68-4, the ‘Boys in Blue’ sustained further blows thereafter by slipping and falling on their way to 122-8 by 32 overs.

Beardman and MacMillan orchestrated most of the damage with three wickets apiece, while new-ball merchant Vidler finished his quota at 2-35.

Lower-order Indian batter Murugan Abhishek swung his bat for a while to smack 42 at near run-a-ball, however, his late resistance merely delayed the inevitable as the ‘Boys in Blue’ had their response dusted out for just 174 in 43.5 overs.

Australia ended up prevailing by 79 runs in the title clash to lift the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2024 trophy, and their first Under-19 World title since 2010.