India U19 have undoubtedly been the most consistent of the 16 teams in the ongoing World Cup in the West Indies. Having won all five of their matches thus far, Yash Dhull and Co. are through to the final of the mega event. On Saturday, February 5, the Boys in Blue are set to lock horns with England, led by Tom Prest, at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua.
After topping the points’ table in Group B, they defeated defending champions Bangladesh by five wickets in the quarterfinals at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua. At the same venue on Wednesday, February 2, Dhull’s men thrashed Cooper Connolly’s Australia by 96 runs in the semi-final. There was no stopping India after they elected to bat first in the crunch game.
Dhull, Rasheed guide India
India lost Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Harnoor Singh in pretty quick succession, and their run rate of 2.96 after 12.3 overs wasn’t on the higher side either. Thereafter, skipper Dhull and vice-captain Shaikh Rasheed took charge and guided their team to safer shores. The duo put on 204 runs for the third wicket in 33.2 overs and pushed the Aussies on the backfoot.
Rasheed chipped in with a 108-ball of 94, laced with eight fours and one six, before Jack Nisbet accounted for his wicket. The vice-captain missed out on the three-figure mark, but the skipper didn’t miss out on the milestone. Dhull scored a run-a-ball 110 with the help of 10 fours.
Both batters got out in the same over, but by then, India were already in a commanding position. Dinesh Bana smashed two fours and as many sixes in his four-ball 20 and propelled India to 290. Nisbet and William Salzmann were the pick of the Australian bowlers with two wickets apiece.
Shaw’s half-century in vain
Australia lost the in-form Teague Wyllie early, but Campbell Kellaway and Corey Miller steadied the ship for their team with a 68-run stand for the second wicket. But soon after Australia were reduced to 125 for seven and the writing was on the walls for them.
Lachlan Shaw scored 51, but he didn’t get enough support from others. India, in the end, bowled the Aussies out for 194 in 41.5 overs. With the victory, the Boys in Blue qualified for their fourth back-to-back final in the U19 World Cup after the ones in 2016, 2018 and 2020.
Here’s how the netizens reacted to India U19s win
India U19s batting looked high class … The future looks secured for the Indian Team .. Yash Dhull looks exceptional .. #U19WorldCup2022
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 2, 2022
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100 for the Skipper. So nicely constructed innings. Such maturely played. Such +ve intent. Lovely to watch Yash Dhull. Rasheed to go next.
India India 🇮🇳 😀. #YashDhull #INDvsAUS #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/HK0XsCTow0— Malay 🇮🇳❤ (@malay_chasta) February 2, 2022
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Yash Dhull seems to have modelled his game on Virat: busy, making the bowler bowl to his strength, shots throughout the wagon wheel. And a thinking player
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) February 2, 2022
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The captain Yash Dhull brings up his first hundred and I am sure it’s just the start of a wonderful journey. #INDvAUS #Under19WorldCup2022
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) February 2, 2022
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So, there they are.
India have made it to their fourth straight #U19CWC final and on Saturday against England, they will be the red-hot favourites to win this championship for the record fifth time.
AdvertisementWell done Yash Dhull & Co.
— Sandipan Banerjee (@im_sandipan) February 2, 2022
Two players – Yash Dhull and Shaik Rasheed – were down and out, isolating after testing positive for Covid a few days back.
Now they return to help India register a thumping win with a 110 and 94 run knocks. Young guns setting high benchmarks ✨🙌#U19CWC #INDvAUS
— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) February 2, 2022
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