Recently recovered from Covid, Indian under-19 captain Yash Dhull scored an under-pressure century and stitched together a 204-run third wicket partnership Shaik Rasheed (94) to help the team beat Australia by 96 runs and enter their eighth ICC Under-19 World Cup final.
India is the most successful team in the tournament's history having won four titles and have now reached their fourth successive final where they will play England for the title on Saturday. India last won the title in 2018 and had lost to Bangladesh in the final two years back.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, India were quickly reduced to 37/2 in 12.3 overs with William Salzmann picking the wicket of Angkrish Raghuvanshi on 6 and Jack Nisbet getting Harnoor Singh out on 16.
Yash Dhull walked out to bat then and along with Shaik Rasheed played a monumental innings, adding 204 runs.
The skipper scored his first century of the tournament, off 106 balls, before he was run out on 110. By then though, he had ensured India reached a safe 241/3 in 45.5 overs.
Australia managed to pick a wicket on the very next ball as well with Shaik Rasheed falling six runs short of his century, becoming Jack Nisbet's second wicket of the innings.
India were 241/4 when Rajvardhan Hangargekar walked out to bat as he, and then Nishant Sindhu and Dinesh Bana, hit some quick boundaries and sixes to help India get to a commanding 290/5.
Australian opener Teague Wyllie, with his two half centuries and one century in the tournament so far, was going to be their key player in the chase but Ravi Kumar managed to trap him lbw on the third ball he faced. Out on 1 and Australia were 3/1 in 1.1 overs.
Campbell Kellaway and Corey Miller then stabilised the innings and added 68 runs for the second wicket but Raghuvanshi broke their partnership by trapping Miller on 38.
Australia were 71/2 in 16.3 overs and never really recovered from there as India managed to make regular inroads with wickets falling every 4-5 overs thereon.
Lachlan Shaw tried to get the chase back on track and scored a half century but with wickets falling regularly at the other end as Australia were bowled out for 194 in 41.5 overs.
Vicky Ostwal finished with three wickets with Nishant Sindhu and Ravi Kumar picking two each. Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Kaushal Tambe picked a wicket apiece.
India have qualified for their fourth straight ICC Under-19 Final with this win and play England for the title on Saturday.
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