The 2018 U19 World Cup has reached its final stage and two of the most successful teams in youth World Cup have reached the final of the tournament vying for their fourth Under-19 World Cup title.
Both India and Australia have been the two most successful teams in the Under-19 level competition since it kicked off in 1988. However, Australia went on to win the inaugural tournament in 1988 on their home soil.
Australia then went on to win the tournament in 2002 and 2010. India, on the other hand, has won the tournament thrice, the first one being in 2000 under the leadership of Mohammed Kaif. India then won the title in 2008 under the leadership of Virat Kohli. The third and the latest victory in the under-19 level came in 2012 under the leadership of Unmkt Chand.
India has had a dominant tournament so far and has reached the final of the tournament without any loss to their name. Indian colts beat some of the toughest oppositions in Pakistan, Bangladesh and the teams like Zimbabwe and Papua New Guinea.
In fact, the Indian side also defeated their opponent in the final, Australia by 100 runs in their first match of the tournament.
Australia on the other hand, have had a more competitive road to the final of the tournament. They lost the first match against India and have had to dig deep in matches against England and Afghanistan in the later stage.
The final match will see some of the best performers in the tournament sweating it out against each other.
Let’s have a look at some of the key player battles:
Prithvi Shaw vs Jonathon Merlo:
Indian skipper Prithvi Shaw is one of the most promising batsmen in the Indian domestic circuit. Shaw is also the captain of the Indian Under-19 team in the ongoing tournament and has had played his role both as a batsman and a captain diligently.
Shaw has scored 232 runs opening the batting for Indian in four innings.
Fast bowler Jonathan Merlo on other hand, has had an average tournament so far but is coming into the final on the back of a brilliant performance in the semi-final against Afghanistan where he picked up four wickets for conceding just 24 runs.
Shubman Gill vs Lloyd Pope:
The young Indian team has been banking hard on their middle order batsman Shubman Gill who has been in brilliant form and is one of the mainstays in the batting line up.
Gill has been India’s highest scorer in the tournament so far scoring 341 runs in four innings.
More importantly, Gill scored an unbeaten century in the semi-final clash against Pakistan to guide India to the final of the tournament.
Lloyd Pope recorded the best bowling figures in an innings by a bowler in the U19 World Cup when he picked up eight wickets in the quarter-final clash against England.
Pope has picked up 11 wickets in four matches. He had the dismal outing in the first match against India but is hoping to improve and trouble the Indian batsmen in the final of the tournament.
Jason Sangha vs Kamlesh Nagarkoti:
Australian skipper Jason Sangha has had an average tournament so far scoring 216 runs in the five matches he has played in.
Sangha is a talented right-handed middle-order batsman. Sangha has been instrumental in motivating the Aussies after the thumping by the hands of India in the first match.
India’s Kamlesh Nagarkoti has been in the headlines off-late courtesy his raw pace. Nagarkoti has impressed the Indian fans with his pace as he bowls at an average speed of 145 and has hit the 150 km/h barrier in the tournament.
Indian cricket has high hopes from the young fast bowler and hopefully, he can deliver for the Indian team in the summit clash.
Here’s the News Feed:
Five Talking points of the final between India and Australia