OSBOURN (ANTIGUA & BARBUDA), Feb 3: A run-a-ball century by skipper Yash Dhull (110) and his 204-run partnership for the third wicket with Shaik Rasheed (94) set up India Under-19 for a 96-run victory against Australia in the semi-finals of the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup.
India, the most successful nation in U-19 Cricket World Cup history with four titles, thus reached their fourth successive final and will take on England in the summit clash. India last won the title in 2018 in the biennial event and had lost to Bangladesh in the final two years ago.
Electing to bat first, India were in a spot of bother at 37/2 with both openers Angkrish Raghuvanshi (6) and Harnoor Singh (16) back in the pavilion. Skipper Dhull (110 off 110) and Rasheed (94 off 108) stitched together a majestic partnership of 204 runs to help India’s colts reach 290/4 in 50 overs at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.
In reply, Australia U-19 succumbed to the pressure created by the Indian bowlers in the middle overs and lost their way despite a fighting half-century by Lachlan Shaw (51 off 66) to be bowled out for 194 in 41.5 overs, falling short by 96 runs.
Earlier, the Indian innings didn’t get off to the start skipper Dhull would have wanted as Raghuvanshi fell for a 30-ball six in the eighth over.
It was William Salzmann who picked up the early scalp, but Jack Nisbet was the most impressive bowler in the early stages, with his first six overs going for just 12 runs. Nisbet got the reward for his tight spell with the wicket of the other opener Narnoor for 16, to leave India in a spot of bother on 37/2.
But that dismissal brought captain Dhull to the crease as he and Rasheed patiently led the recovery. Dhull got his century before signaling his intent with a smoked six off the very next delivery. The 19-year-old fell in an unfortunate manner, run-out backing up at the non-striker’s end for a majestic run-a-ball 110.
Rasheed fell the next ball, caught at backward-point just six runs short of his own century with India at 241/4 and four overs remaining.
Rajvardhan Hangargekar (13) and Nishant Sindhu (12*) ensured the runs kept flowing, before Dinesh Bana (20*) finished the innings in style, hitting two sixes and two fours off the four deliveries he faced as India reached 290/5, with 27 runs coming off the final over.
Australia’s hopes of reaching the target of 291 to set up a final against England suffered a big early blow when in-form opener Teague Wyllie was trapped in front in just the second over.
However, Campbell Kellaway (30) and Corey Miller (38) scored at freely through the following 15 overs in a 68-run partnership.
But India’s main threat was their quality spin attack, with part-timer Raghuvanshi fooling Miller with a clever change of pace, and Vicky Ostwal picking up the scalp of Kellaway six balls later.
Wickets fell at regular intervals from there on, as India’s spinners took the game away from Australia, with only Lachlan Shaw fighting for a hard-fought 51.
India sealed their spot in Saturday’s final with a run-out, as a mix-up between Tom Whitney (19) and number eleven Jack Nisbet left the former stranded. (IANS)
