U-19 WC final: India win U-19 World Cup

India are on 205-4 in the final of the U-19 World Cup match against Australia in Townsville, Australia. Skipper Unmukt Chand is on 103 in 126 balls and Smit Patel is on 50 in 79 balls. Earlier, Australia made   225 runs for 8 wickets in their alloted 50 overs.  

India got off to a shaky start losing opener Prashant Chopra for 0, Baba Aparajith and Hanuma Vihari. After 20 overs, they were 86/3.
India frittered away the early advantage as defending champions Australia recovered from a shaky start to post a competitive 225 for 8 in the final of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in Townsville on Sunday.


Electing to field after winning the toss amid overcast conditions, the Indians had the Aussies on the mat at 38 for 4 before host skipper William Bosisto (87 not out) rebuilt the innings with the help of some notable contributions down the order.

Both teams named the same XIs that had got them through the knockouts. While Australia, aiming for a fourth title, entered the final undefeated, India had lost one game in the first group stage to the West Indies.

Sandeep Sharma was the pick of the bowlers for India, grabbing four wickets in his 10 overs that conceded 54 runs and included a couple of maidens.

In conditions that have favoured bowlers all through the tournament, two-time winners India could not have asked for a better start as Sharma struck in his very first over.

He removed both the openers -- Cameron Bancroft (2) and Jimmy Peirson (0) -- in his first spell itself. The Oz team was looking down the barrel as a couple of more wickets fell in quick succession.

However, Bosisto took charge of the proceedings and gradually steadied the ship sharing a 65-run fifth wicket stand with Travis Head (37) to start with.

India: Prashant Chopra, Unmukt Chand (c), Baba Aparajith, Hanuma Vihari, Vijay Zol, Akshdeep Deependra Nath, Smit Kamleshbhai Patel (wk), Kamal Passi, Harmeet Singh, Ravikant Singh, Sandeep Sharma.

Australia: Cameron Timothy Bancroft, James John Peirson (wk), Meyrick John Buchanan, Kurtis Robert Patterson, William Giles Bosisto (c), Travis Michael Head, Ashton James Turner, Alexander James Gregory, Mark Thomas Steketee, Joel Samuel Paris, Gurinder Singh Sandhu