That’s it for Scroll’s coverage of India’s clash against Australia in the 2024 ICC Men’s U19 World Cup Final. Thanks for joining us!

And just like that, India have their hearts broken by Australia one more time this year. Australia acing finals is a story we are familiar with but India’s failure to make it count in these big matches is something to ponder across the Indian cricket culture. Uday Saharan (389) and Musheer Khan (338) finish as the leading run-scorers of the tournament but to end the tournament without the silverware will hurt.

U19 World Cup Final, India vs Australia: Australia captain Hugh Weibgen said, “So proud of the boys and our coaches. Everyone was open to batting first, our plan was get a few runs and back ourselves. (On Harjas Singh) He is a quality player, class is permanent. Full credit to the coaches for sticking with him. India are a class side, they dominated the whole tournament, just came the wrong side. I'm sure these guys will do a lot of great things in their career. The pacers can go so far, as a unit they know their roles so well. I'll be surprised if the four of them don't go a long way in their careers.”

U19 World Cup Final, India vs Australia: India captain Uday Saharan said, “I'm proud of the boys, they played really well. Showed good fighting spirit throughout the tournament. We played a few rash shots today, didn't spend time in the middle. We were prepared but couldn't execute the plans. Lots of learnings from this tournament, learnt a lot from the support staff and even during the games.”

U19 World Cup Final, India vs Australia: South Africa fast-bowler Kwena Maphaka is the player of the tournament for his 21 wickets in six matches.

U19 World Cup Final, India vs Australia: Mahli Beardman is expectedly the player of the match for his 3/15.

U19 World Cup Final, India vs Australia: India’s standout performers with the bat Uday Saharan, Musheer Khan and Sachin Dhas were not able to turn up for India today. Meanwhile, Calum Vidler, Mahli Beardman just displayed some incredible control with the ball.

U19 World Cup Final, India vs Australia: Dominance and Australia are synonymous to each other and it is no surprise that the juniors have added to what has been a fantastic year for Australian cricket. From the World Test Championship and the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup and the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup – it’s been a proper takeover. Hugh Weibgen has led the boys well. But what a show it was from the Australian pacers and then Raf Macmillan!

The disappointment on Uday Saharan and his teammates’ faces is tough to watch.

U19 World Cup Final, India 174 after 43.5 overs: WICKET! Australia defeat India by 79 runs to win the ICC U19 Men’s World Cup. Saumy Pandey attempted to move down towards third after a back of length delivery that was angled towards off stump, but the ball went too close to him, giving him a thin edge that was caught by the keeper. Tom Straker adds the decisive blow.

U19 World Cup Final, India 168/9 after 40.3 overs: WICKET! And Australia inch closer to victory as India lose their ninth. Murugan Abhishek departs for 42 after a fighting knock. However, it has come off too late. Vidler picks up his second.

U19 World Cup Final, India 122/8 after 31.5 overs: WICKET! The end is near for India as they lose their eighth. While the pacers ensure the regular flow of wickets, it is Raf Macmillan who has ensured spin has a role to play in Australia’s performance today. He picks up his third as Raj Limbani departs for a duck.

U19 World Cup Final, India 115/7 after 30.3 overs: WICKET! The wheels are coming right off for India. Beardman has his third! Just how good has been in the final!? Adarsh Singh who kept losing partners on the other end finally departs too, three short of a half-century. It’s a fine touch off the batter’s gloves and Ryan Hicks pouches it safely behind the stumps.

U19 World Cup Final, India 91/6 after 25.3 overs: WICKET! India lose their sixth as Aravelly Avanish also departs. Raf Macmillan is working without any turn on offer but boy, is he doing a wonderful job. He is building upon the work done by the pacers and it is paying off well. It’s a delivery outside off and he chips it tamely back to Macmillan who catches it with ease.

U19 World Cup Final, India 90/5 after 24.4 overs: WICKET! The wickets keep tumbling for India who have now lost half their side. Charlie Anderson picks up his first as Priyanshu Moliya departs for 9. He tries to go big before he is caught by Vidler at mid-on. It’s a sorry looking scorecard for India.

U19 World Cup Final, India 68/4 after 19.1 overs: WICKET! Raf Macmillan strikes in his very first delivery and Sachin Dhas must depart. India lose their fourth and they are in a soup. Australia have indeed taken the game by the scruff of the neck. It was a tossed up delivery outside and drifted away beautifully from the right hander and Dhas reaches out with his front foot. In vain.

U19 World Cup Final, India 55/3 after 16.4 overs: WICKET! Mahli Beardman it is again! The dangerous Indian captain Uday Saharan is dismissed for 8. Saharan opts for a drive but fails to keep it down and Hugh Weibgen takes a sharp catch at the backward point.

U19 World Cup Final, India 52/2 after 15 overs: A bit of a lull as captain Uday Saharan joins Adarsh Singh in the middle. The boundaries are becoming harder to find for India as Mahli Beardman and Tom Straker come at them.

U19 World Cup Final, India 40/2 after 12.2 overs: WICKET! Bowled. Musheer Khan is undone by the variable bounce as he looks to defend the ball but it gets back on the bottom of the pitch to hit the stumps. Mahli Beardman has a breakthrough in his very first over.

U19 World Cup Final, India 28/1 after 10 overs: And almost for the second time, Musheer Khan finds a reprieve as he was almost run-out. Replays established that he was comfortably in. It has been a rather quiet start for India in the first powerplay as they try to navigate the new ball in windy conditions.

U19 World Cup Final, India 10/1 after 5 overs: The Indian batters are being tested right away! The sensible thing would be to take some time to settle in. Musheer Khan is given a second life after he was dropped by Harry Dixon on a duck. If Khan, who has been in great form at the World Cup, is able to capitalise, it will be a moment that is likely to haunt Dixon.

U19 World Cup Final, India 3/1 after 2.2 overs: WICKET! Callum Vidler provides an early breakthrough for India as Arshin Kulkarni has to depart for 3. Vidler set the batter to expect a short-ball but it is in fact an brilliant outswinger that proves to be his undoing. India are placed on the backfoot early!

U19 World Cup Final, second innings: Indian openers Adarsh Singh and Arshin Kulkarni are at the crease. Callum Vidler will open the attack for Australia.

U19 World Cup Final, first innings: Harjas Singh and Ryan Hicks shared a 66-run partnership for the fourth wicket ensured that Australia finish with a competitive total. There isn’t much assistance for spinners, it must be noted. Raj Limbani stars for India with 3/38. The Indian innings is coming up shortly. Stay tuned!

U19 World Cup Final, Australia 253/7 after 50 overs: Australia finish with 253/7 and it seems like a competitive total on this pitch. It will have to be a record chase for India. Oliver Peake helps Australia with a late flourish even as he falls four short of a half-century.

U19 World Cup Final, Australia 221/7 after 45.3 overs: WICKET! Charlie Anderson is out LBW. It was turning out to be an expensive over from Limbani who had hit him for a six earlier. But a good comeback from the bowler to beat Anderson plumb.

U19 World Cup Final, Australia 187/6 after 39.5 overs: WICKET! Musheer Khan gets Raf Macmillan as Australia’s tail begins. It’s a length ball on off and Macmillan looks to drive it before it grips a little and Khan takes a swift catch off his own bowling.

U19 World Cup Final, Australia 181/5 after 37.5 overs: WICKET! Harjas Singh falls and it is Saumy Pandey – India’s highest wicket taker, who puts an end to the southpaw’s stay. A half-hearted slog across the line from Singh and he is beaten for pace, trapped leg before wicket.

U19 World Cup Final, Australia 179/4 after 37 overs: Half-century for Harjas Singh. The first of the final and he reaches the mark off 59 deliveries with a punch down the ground to the long-off boundary off Naman Tiwari. The southpaw was short of runs throughout the tournament but he has repaid faith shown by the Australian management in him today. Before this innings he had a grand total of 49 runs in the entire World Cup. What a match to hit form. A finely crafted innings from the youngster!

U19 World Cup Final, Australia 165/4 after 34.1 overs: WICKET! Raj Limbani to India’s rescue, once again. Good length, just outside the off before it seams back in sharply. Ryan Hicks is caught inside the crease as the ball stays a bit low and raps his back pads. Leg before wicket. A 66-run stand broken. Vital wicket for India. Hicks out for 20.

U19 World Cup Final, Australia 136/3 after 30 overs: Harjas Singh and Ryan Hicks rebuilding for Australia and they are doing it at a rapid rate. The fourth-wicket stand is now 37 off just 44 deliveries. Singh, in particular, has been harsh on Indian spinners.

U19 World Cup Final, Australia 99/3 after 22.5 overs: WICKET! One brings two for Tiwari. One brings two for India. Brilliant change of pace from the bowler and it takes a well set Harry Dixon by surprise. There was a tad bit of extra bounce as well as the southpaw just lobs it towards cover, where Murugan Abhishek takes a good diving catch. Dixon walks back for 42.

U19 World Cup Final, Australia 94/2 after 20.4 overs: WICKET! Massive, massive wicket for India as Weibgen falls for 48. Excellent change in the attack from Saharan, who brings in Naman Tiwari for the first time since he was hit for 15 off the second over of the match. Dixon takes him on in the first two deliveries, but the left-arm pacer changes his angle for Weibgen. Tiwari goes around the wicket and throws one wide, Weibgen is drawn into the shot and ends up slicing it to Musheer Khan at backward point.

U19 World Cup Final, Australia 87/1 after 20 overs: Australia continue to motor along rather comfortably. Weibgen, who has had most of the strike off late, has slowly started to open his arms and has got two boundaries in the past two overs. The usually ultra aggressive Dixon is happy to let his captain take the lead.

U19 World Cup Final, Australia 63/1 after 15 overs: Dixon and Weibgen are slowly but steadily inching towards a 50-run second wicket stand. They have added 47 off 75 deliveries so far and the Indians are yearning for a wicket here. Captain Saharan could be seen very animated in between the overs and has employed five bowlers already in the first 15 overs.

U19 World Cup Final, Australia 45/1 after 10 overs: End of a very good first powerplay. India have further tightened the screws and have dried up the boundaries, but Dixon and Weibgen have not looked uncomfortable. An riveting passage of play awaits us.

U19 World Cup Final, Australia 29/1 after 5 overs: Despite losing Konstas for a duck, Dixon and captain Weibgen have ensured that Australia keep going on at a steady rate. Uday Saharan has introduced spin early with Saumy Pandey – India’s highest wicket taker in the tournament, already in the attack.

U19 World Cup Final, Australia 16/1 after 2.3 overs: WIKCET! Raj Limbani strikes. The pacer pulls out an inswinger and Konstas, who was looking to push it down the ground, has no clue. The ball goes through the gap between the bat and pad to hit the stumps. A much needed wicket for India after 15 runs came off the second over bowled by Naman Tiwari.

U19 World Cup Final, Australia 1/0 after 1 over: Tidy start from Raj Limbani, with just a single off the very first delivery of the match. There was a leg before shout against Sam Konstas as well, with a fuller inswinger, but the umpire remained unmoved. Good start for India.

U19 World Cup Final, India vs Australia: Harry Dixon and Sam Konstas to open the batting for Australia. Raj Limabni to start the proceedings with the ball for India. The conditions are overcast in Benoni, if there is one bowler who can pose threat to the Australians it has to be Limbani with his swing. We are all set!

U19 World Cup Final, India vs Australia: Both teams stride out to the middle. It is time for the national anthems. Australia’s Advance Australia Fair followed by India’s Jana Gana Mana.

India XI: Adarsh Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, Musheer Khan, Uday Saharan(c), Priyanshu Moliya, Sachin Dhas, Aravelly Avanish(wk), Murugan Abhishek, Raj Limbani, Naman Tiwari, Saumy Pandey

Australia XI: Harry Dixon, Sam Konstas, Hugh Weibgen(c), Harjas Singh, Ryan Hicks(wk), Oliver Peake, Raf MacMilllan, Charlie Anderson, Tom Straker, Mahli Beardman, Callum Vidler

U19 World Cup Final, India vs Australia: “We were prepared to do both first. No changes in our lineup. We can play only play one World Cup, it means a lot for us. We will look to take the game deep,” says Indian captain Uday Saharan.

U19 World Cup Final, India vs Australia: Hugh Weibgen wins the toss and asks India to field first.

U19 World Cup Final, India vs Australia: India have won the Men’s U19 World Cup crown five times. Two times out of the five – 2012 and 2018, the title triumph has come at the expense of Australia. Can India make it three out of three wins against the team from Down Under in U19 World Cup Finals?

Read the preview for the final here.

Hello and welcome to Scroll’s coverage of the 2024 ICC Men’s U19 World Cup Final clash between India and Australia.

Two unbeaten teams – the toppers of their respective league stage and Super Six groups, will go head to head in the title clash at the Willowmoore Park in Benoni in what is conincidentally a repeat of the 2023 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup Final held in Ahmedabad last year.

While India were made to work hard for their two-wicket win over South Africa in the semi-finals, the road was not easy either for Australia, who beat Pakistan by a solitary wicket in the second semi-final.

India are the most successful side in the U19 World Cup history, having won the title five times, including the previous edition in 2022. On the other hand, Australia were last crowned champions way back in 2010 with Mitchell Marsh as the captain.

Can Uday Saharan add his name to the list of U19 Cricket World Cup winning captains? Or will Hugh Weibgen lead Australia to their fourth title? Answers to all the questions in a few hours from now. Stay tuned for all the live updates.

All screenshots in the blog courtesy Disney+Hotstar and ICC website.