Hello and welcome to Firstpost 's coverage of the ICC U-19 World Cup 2018 final between India and Australia. Big, big day for both teams today, each vying for a record fourth title.
Steve Smith has this message for the Australia U19s as they prepare to face India in the #U19CWC Final today 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/hU1oC3r8EB
Here's what Steve Smith has to tell Australia U-19 boys ahead of the big final.
Has been a flawless journey so far for the Indian under-19, who are one step away from capping off a surreal run
Team sheets swapped, coin picked, captains on their way out for the toss with Match Referee Jeff Crowe! #AUSvIND #U19CWC pic.twitter.com/M9fLDaf38E
Welcome to the Firstpost live blog for the final of the U-19 World Cup. There is a bit of atmosphere building up at Bay Oval, both on the ground and in the air. A few hundred people here already, with the number expected to swell later. And there are some clouds in the air, with a bit of rain forecast later in the evening. Unlikely that this will affect the toss though, still a bat first wicket.
Australia have won the toss and have elected to bat first
Get runs on the board and put the pressure of chasing on the Indians in the big final. Smart thing to do.
So Australia win the toss and India will chase in the final, the first big chase for them. Both teams unchanged. This might actually be a good toss to lose for India, with the cloud cover, their fast bowlers might get a bit more swing. Pressure will be on Aussie opener Max Bryant, who has had a lean tournament.
The #MenInBlue are rooting for the #BoysInBlue all the way from South Africa #U19CWC pic.twitter.com/31ymNcHjAe
Good luck to the Australian U/19 team playing in the World Cup final against India today!! Soak it all up, enjoy the moment 💪🏼👍🏼🇦🇺
One of the most important games of your career. Every cricketer dreams of representing their country in a world cup final. You all have been exceptional so far, just keep up the momentum and go for the kill. #GetTheCupBackHome #Under19WC #INDvAUS @cricketworldcup pic.twitter.com/k5P2RagGgy
It will be the sixth occasion for the an India U-19, most by any side to take part in the finals of Under-19 World Cup
Here we go. Players take the field with Australian openers sauntering out.
After 1 over, Australia 1/0 (Jack Edwards 0, Max Bryant 0) Some swing straight away for Mavi. Mavi tries to compensate for the wide by targetting the wickets ends up sliding towards leg stump, but Edwards isn't able to take any advantage. He is happy to leave the ball too as he does a couple of times. Mavi completes the over giving just the wide off the first ball.
One of the most important games of your career. Every cricketer dreams of representing their country in a world cup final. You all have been exceptional so far, just keep up the momentum and go for the kill. #GetTheCupBackHome #Under19WC #INDvAUS @cricketworldcup pic.twitter.com/k5P2RagGgy
FOUR! Unlike Edwards, Bryant is holding it back. That was hit hard down the ground past the mid off fielder. Gets off the mark with a boundary.
After 2 over, Australia 6/0 (Jack Edwards 0, Max Bryant 5) Bryant gets underway with a powerful hit down the ground for a boundary and gets to the other end of the next ball. Edwards plays out four dots to complete Porel's over.
After 3 overs, Australia 12/0 (Jack Edwards 1, Max Bryant 10) Boundary to end the over. Width on offer and Bryant finds the gap on the off side through cover-point for his second boundary. Six runs coming off the over, Edwards got off the mark with an inside edge on the onside.
After 4 overs, Australia 20/0 (Jack Edwards 4, Max Bryant 14) A misfield from Abhishek Sharma at mid-off gives away two runs off the first ball with Edwards giving the charge and looking to go down the ground. Bryant flicks it off his legs to finish the over with a flick off his pads that has been played over the infield. The ball runs to mid wicket fence. 8 runs off the over.
FOUR! Edwards gets his first boundary. Muscled it straight back, almost taking out Bryant at the other end.
FOUR! Edge... and just away from the diving Desai. Edwards slashed hard at it with the ball taking the edge flying to third man fence.
Bit of a flying start by Australia, but finally India have broken through. A poor ball and a good catch ending Bryant's miserable tournament. Both openers had offered tough chances and the keeper had grassed them both. There is hardly any movement in the air, and precious little off the pitch, so India will need to up the fielding intensity and bowl line and length. Australia's best two batters at the crease.
FOUR! Past backward point and that is the third boundary for Edwards all have come in this over.
After 5 overs, Australia 32/0 (Jack Edwards 16, Max Bryant 14) Three boundaries for Jack Edwards in the over. Mavi shouldn't be disheartened by it, he got Edwards to edge once but was unfortunate with the slip being taken out the previous delivery. 12 runs come from the over.
OUT! There is the first breakthrough India was looking for. Porel is pumped as he lets out a roar! Bryant looked to smash it through the packed off-side and finds Abhishek Sharma at cover-point. Bryant c Abhishek Sharma b Ishan Porel 14(12)
After 6 overs, Australia 32/1 (Jack Edwards 16, Jason Sangha 0) Porel delivers a wicket-maiden. Bryant departed off the first ball with captain Sangha joining Edwards. Wants to get his first run rather quickly, almost looked for a sucidial run, as he tapped it on the onside and started running towards the non-striker's end, after running halfway down he was send back by his partner. Porel couldn't collect it cleanly to return a throw.
After 7 overs,Australia Under-19 43/1 ( Jack Edwards 25 , Jason Sangha (C) 1) Couple of boundaries off the first two balls by Edwards. Pressure was straight away on the bowler with a punch down the ground and pull through mid wicket. Sangha gets off the mark off the last ball with a single. 11 runs come off the over.
After 8 overs,Australia Under-19 46/1 ( Jack Edwards 25 , Jason Sangha (C) 4) Porel continues. Sangha steers his to off side for a three. Lovely on-the-rise drive there. Goes back of length to Edwards and the tall man defends comfortably. Edwards nails a beautiful straight drive that disturbs the stumps at other end. He looks in fine touch here. A bit of a swing and a miss there. He walks towards the bowler but fails to connect with short of length ball outside off. Porel follows up with another dot. Back of length and cut hard to point, is the last ball. Edwards missed a boundary there for sure. Just three runs from that over.
Australia have won the toss and have elected to bat first
ICC U-19 World Cup Final LIVE Updates: Porel continues. Sangha steers his to off side for a three. Lovely on-the-rise drive there. Goes back of length to Edwards and the tall man defends comfortably. Edwards nails a beautiful straight drive that disturbs the stumps at other end. He looks in fine touch here. A bit of a swing and a miss there. He walks towards the bowler but fails to connect with short of length ball outside off. Porel follows up with another dot. Back of length and cut hard to point, is the last ball. Edwards missed a boundary there for sure. Just three runs from that over.
Preview: Unstoppable so far, India would be aiming to rewrite record books with a fourth title when the Rahul Dravid-coached side squares off against an equally formidable Australia in the final of the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Mount Maunganui on Saturday.
India and Australia are the two most successful teams in the history of the tournament having won the coveted trophy thrice each.
But come Saturday, Dravid's sprightly boys will be desperate to outwit their Australian counterparts and become the first team in the history of the event to lift the trophy for a record fourth time.
The promising Prithvi Shaw, already being seen as the next big thing in Indian cricket, will be eager to join the likes of Mohammad Kaif (2002), Virat Kohli (2008) and Unmukt Chand (2012) in leading the side to the U-19 World Cup title.
Going by current form, odds are heavily in favour of India. The Indians have put in some impressive performances to win all their five matches – including an emphatic 203-run win over arch-rivals Pakistan in the semifinal and a 100-run victory over Australia in their tournament-opener.
The massive win over Pakistan in the semifinal will do a world of good to India's confidence. After putting a total of 272 on the board, they dismissed the opposition for a paltry 69.
So far, it has been collective performance from Dravid's boys as every member of the squad has contributed to the team's success in one or the other way.
India's batting has been at its lethal best. While the openers -- Shaw and Manjot Kalra -- have given the team good starts throughout the tournament, Shubman Gill has been in phenomenal form at the number three position.
In fact, all eyes will be on Gill, who has been the most consistent batsman of the tournament. He scored a scintillating unbeaten century against Pakistan in the semis and would be eager to script one more impactful knock.
In the bowling department, Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti have been phenomenal, raking up speeds in excess of 140kmph at their will. But they will have their work cut out against a strong Australian batting line-up.
Abhishek Sharma is another important player in the squad to look up to and he along with fellow spinner Anukul Roy would look to exploit the Australian batsmen's weaknesses against spin.
Besides his spin, Abhishek is also a hard-hitting lower middle-order batsman, who can score some quick runs.
India's fielding has also been exemplary in the tournament so far.
India U-19 teams have had a legacy of producing future Indian stars and this group of players has the potential to make it big.
Australia, on the other hand, would be desperate for revenge after their big loss to the Indians in tournament opener.
After that one bad day in office, the Australians have bounced back strongly and won four games in a row to make it to the final.
The Jason Sangha-led side's last two performances signal that they have upped their game when it has mattered.
Australia's 31-run win over England in the quarterfinal, while defending 127-run total, and a six-wicket win over Afghanistan, who surprised everyone with their semifinal appearance, clearly indicate that they are here to give India a tough fight in the summit clash.
Teams (from):
India U-19: Prithvi Shaw (C), Shubman Gill, Manjot Kalra, Himanshu Rana, Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Harvik Desai, Shivam Mavi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ishan Porel, Anukul Roy, Shiva Singh, Aryan Juyal, Arshdeep Singh, Pankaj Yadav.
Australia U-19: Jason Sangha (C), Will Sutherland, Xavier Bartlett, Max Bryant, Jack Edwards, Zak Evans, Jarrod Freeman, Ryan Hadley, Baxter J Holt, Nathan McSweeney, Jonathan Merlo, Lloyd Pope, Param Uppal, Austin Waugh.
Match starts: 0630hrs (IST).
With inputs from PTI