Australia won the U-19 World Cup title for 4th time

Australia 253 for 7 (Harjas 55, Weibgen 48, Peake 46*, Limbani 3-68) beat India 174 (Adarsh 47, Abishek 42, Beardman 3-15, MacMillan 3-43) by 79 runs

A fearsome four-pronged pace attack, spearheaded by the thunderous Callum Vidler and Mahli Beardman led Australia to Under-19 World Cup glory in Benoni, South Africa.
Vilder and Beardman’s effort was crucial to Australia’s win over India at the U-19 cricket World Cup Final. Australia defeated India By 79 runs.
The pace pack snuffed out seven Indian wickets to bring their unbeaten campaign to a juddering halt after the top order had no answer to Australia’s heat and hostility. Beardman inflicted maximum damage, finishing with 3 for 15 off seven overs.

Thanks to a vital contribution from middle-order batter Harjas Singh, who injected momentum into Australia’s innings to top score with 55. In doing so, Harjas repaid the faith of the team management after a lean run had him score just 49 runs, including a highest of 17, in six innings before the final.

Harjas overcame a slow start and made up for it with his superb takedown of India’s excellent spinners that powered them to 253 for 7.
After losing twice previously to India in the finals of the Under-19 World Cup (in 2012 and 2018), Hugh Weibgen’s class of 2024 won the title for the first time since Mitchell Marsh’s batch won in 2010. Australia have now beaten India in three ICC finals back-to-back.
Adarsh Singh, the Indian opener made 47 and hung around till the 31st over in the hope of trying to pull off a late heist after the top order that brushed past attacks in the lead-up to the knockouts folded cheaply.
A miscued pull to a sharp Beardman bouncer, just an over after he had hooked a short ball for six, had Adarsh gloving to wicketkeeper Ryan Hicks all but sealed it for Australia as India slumped to 115 for 7.
India needed 88 off the last 10 overs with two wickets in hand. But there was never really a sense that they were pushing for an unlikely win; they were simply delaying the inevitable.
The final stamp of victory was achieved in the 44th over when Tom Straker, their semi-final hero over Pakistan, packed off Tiwari to trigger massive celebrations in the Australian camp as they lifted their fourth title overall.
India’s downfall began in the third over itself when Vidler had Arshin Kulkarni nicking behind with a perfect outswinger. Musheer Khan, India’s highest run-scorer, should’ve been out for zero in the very next over by Charlie Anderson but was put down at slip by Harry Dixon.

Musheer hung around to duck and weave his way out of trouble, and had just begun to open up having played a rasping on-drive to get going, but played back to a full delivery and was out bowled to Beardman.
Uday Saharan, the captain was out gliding one to backward point for 9. When Sachin Dhas, the in-form batter, fell nicking behind to offspinner Raf MacMillan in his very first over.

Raj Limbani got the ball talking with his big inswing and clean-bowled Sam Konstas for an eight-ball duck in the third over. Weibgen and Dixon then repaired the innings with a steady 78-run stand for the second wicket.
Australia were 99 for 3 and in need of a serious repair job.
Harjas came in to bat under the pressure of the scoreboard as well as his poor form leading into this game.
Ryan Hicks was a little more busy, enterprising and used pace to steer the ball nicely behind square. The two had added 66 when Hicks fell lbw to Limbani. Harjas then raised his half-century but couldn’t quite kick on. However, Australia found another gem in Oliver Peake, who played the role of a finisher to perfection.
His 43-ball 46 helped add more fuel to Harjas’ surge that eventually helped them post 253, which on this surface with plenty of zip and bounce proved way more than they needed, especially given the firepower Australia had.

Winner of U-19 Cricket World Cup

Year	Winner	Runner up
1988	Australia	Pakistan
1998	England	New Zealand
2000	India	Srilanka
2002	Australia	South Africa
2004	Pakistan	West Indies
2006	Pakistan	India
2008	India	South Africa
2010	Australia	Pakistan
2012	India	Australia
2014	South Africa	Pakistan
2016	West Indies	India
2018	India	Australia
2020	Bangladesh	India
2022	India	England
2024	Australia	India