After a nail-biter of a semifinal against the South Africa U-19, the India U-19 have reached their ninth Under-19 World Cup Final. Indian skipper Uday Saharan and Sachin Dhas were the heroes for the Men in Blue as they scripted a remarkable comeback win.
Saharan guided his team across the finish line and was rightly awarded the ‘Player of the Match’. After being reduced to 32/4, Saharan, along with Dhas, stitched a match-winning 171-run stand to help India storm into the Under-19 World Cup 2024 Final.
Now, it’s either arch-rivals Pakistan or their tormentors Australia waiting for the Uday Saharan-led side in the Final.
Will the fans get an IND vs PAK Final or a rematch of the ODI World Cup Final?
On current form, picking either Australia or Pakistan is difficult. Barring their last match, Pakistan has won each match comfortably. They have defended their totals and chased down targets, covering both bases. Having already come off a virtual quarterfinal against Bangladesh, they have the experience to play with everything on the line.
Australia, on the other hand, entered the semifinals on the back of a rained-off match in Kimberley. The Aussies have faced just one tough opponent, England, who they blew away easily by 110 runs.
India’s record against Pakistan and Australia in the Under-19 World Cup Finals
Similar to the India U-19 side, the two remaining semifinalists, Pakistan and Australia, are yet to face defeat in the Under-19 World Cup 2024. These two teams have a rich history and have had battles against India in past editions of the tournament.
Pakistan has reached the Under-19 World Cup Final four times, winning the title twice in 2004 and 2006. Similarly, Australia has made five finals, lifting the trophy on three occasions in 1988, 2002, and 2010.
These two teams have also faced India in the finals. Against arch-rivals Pakistan, the Men in Blue have a 0-1 record in the final, while they have a positive 2-0 record against Australia in the finals.
