The Indian cricket team put up a fantastic performance to thrash Australia by 96 runs in the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2022 semifinal and they will face England in the final.
Follow Us
India Under-19 cricket team skipper Yash Dhull led from the front with a magnificent century against Australia. He shared a brilliant 204-run stand with Shaik Rasheed who was unlucky to miss out on a century. The partnership, combined with an all-round spin bowling display from India helped them thrash Australia by 96 runs. In the process, India reached the final of the ICC Under-19 World Cup for the fourth consecutive time. They had reached the finals in 2016, 2018, and 2020. However, they suffered defeat in the 2016 and 2020 editions of the tournament. They will now face England in the final.
India chose to bat and they initially made slow progress on a difficult wicket in Coolidge. William Salzmann, who has impressed in the tournament, struck by removing Angriksh Raghuvanshi cheaply for 6. When Harnoor Singh was dismissed by Jack Nisbet for 16, Australia was on top. But, Yash Dhull and Shaik Rasheed then stepped up and put on a magical partnership that deflated Australia.
Shaik Rasheed had started brilliantly with a boundary. However, with the loss of two wickets, Rasheed and Yash Dhull decided to play cautiously. Both batsmen got their eye in, with Rasheed benefiting from a dropped catch by Jack Sinfield. Dhull and Rasheed built the partnership and they pushed the scoring rate along in the middle overs.
Read – India: The dominant masters of ICC Under-19 World Cup 2022
Not many boundaries were scored but the scoring rate was still healthy. Dhull reached his fifty with a pulled four off Tom Whitney. After notching up his fifty, Dhull increased the acceleration and regularly found the boundaries. Rasheed also notched up his fifty and he too upped a gear, hitting three fours in two overs. Dhull and Rasheed were now going after the Australian bowling as the death overs approached.
Rasheed entered the 80s with three fours off William Salzmann and he entered the 90s with a six off Nisbet. But, Dhull stole the show with two fours off Tom Whitney to register a brilliant century. However, in the 46th over, both Dhull and Rasheed were dismissed. Rajvardhan Hangergekar hit a six and four to push India past 250. But, Whitney suffered in the final over. Nishant Sindhu hit a six and four but Dinesh Bana slammed two sixes and a four as 27 runs came off the final over. India ended on 290/5, a total which was more than par for Australia to chase.
Australia started poorly with Ravi Kumar sending back Teague Wyllie for 1. Corey Miller and Campbell Kellaway tried to revive the innings, with Miller striking boundaries at will. But, just as the partnership was developing, Raghuvanshi trapped Miller LBW for 38 to dent the Aussies.
Vicky Ostwal sent back Kellaway and Australia’s asking rate mounted. When skipper Cooper Connolly was dismissed by Nishant Sindhu, Australia’s hopes evaporated. Sindhu got Nivethan Radhakrishnan as Australia continued to lose wickets. Ostwal sent back Salzmann and Tobias Snell as the challenge wilted away. Lachlan Shaw and Jack Sinfield had some fun as they delayed the inevitable. But, Kaushal Tambe sent back Sinfield to get India closer. Shaw notched up his fifty but Ravi Kumar ended his vigil. Tom Whitney hit two sixes but his run-out signaled the end of the match as India marched into the final.
Speaking after the match, skipper Yash Dhull outlined his plan. “The idea was to bat steadily, not to try too many shots, and to bat past the 40th over. Myself and Rasheed bat well together, we combine well and it showed. Rasheed and I had a good partnership and we had good partnerships lower down as well,” Dhull said.
