U19 World Cup final: Aussies thumped India once again to claim title

• The Aussies beat India by 79 runs in U19 World Cup final.
• This marked the 3rd consecutive ICC title win for Australia over India.
• Weibgen led the batting, and Peake finishes strong for Australia.

In the 2024 U19 World Cup final held in Benoni, South Africa, Australia triumphed over India by a margin of 79 runs. After setting a target of 254 runs, Australia managed to bowl out India for 174. This marked the third time Australia has bested India in an ICC final, with previous victories in the World Test Championship in June 2023 and the ODI World Cup final in November 2023.

Australia’s captain, Hugh Weibgen, chose to bat first, leading his team to a record-breaking total of 253/7 in an U19 World Cup final. Harjas Singh was the top scorer with 55 runs, while Weibgen, Harry Dixon, and Ollie Peak also made notable contributions. Raj Limbani was the standout bowler for India, taking 3 wickets for 38 runs.

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 🏆

After #WTC23 and #CWC23, Australia complete the hat-trick with #U19WorldCup 2024 😍 pic.twitter.com/Y6cmaLOTu0

— ICC (@ICC) February 11, 2024

India’s chase was marred by early losses, with four wickets falling in the first 20 overs. Despite a spirited effort from Abhishek Murugan towards the end, Australia’s victory was all but assured by the 44th over.

India’s innings began with a setback as Arshin Kulkarni was caught behind the wicket. Adarsh Singh and Musheer Khan batted cautiously, with only two boundaries scored in the first Powerplay. Musheer Khan was eventually dismissed by Mahli Beardman after scoring 22 runs. Beardman also claimed the wicket of India’s captain, Uday Saharan, and Sachin Dhas, further dampening India’s prospects.

Despite a fighting 47 from Adarsh Singh and a quick 42 from Abhishek Murugan, India’s defeat was inevitable. On the Australian side, Harry Dixon started aggressively, scoring 15 runs off Naman Tiwari’s first over. However, Raj Limbani dismissed Dixon’s partner, Sam Konstas, in the third over.

Dixon and Weibgen batted carefully against the spinners during the middle overs, keeping the scoreboard moving. The return of pace bowling saw immediate results, with Tiwari dismissing Weibgen and Dixon in quick succession. Harjas Singh and Ryan Hicks then steadied the innings for Australia, with Harjas scoring his maiden fifty of the U19 World Cup.

Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, Australia managed to push their total past 200, thanks to Ollie Peake’s aggressive batting. They added 66 runs in the last 10 overs, setting a challenging target for India.

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