ICC U-19 WC Final: India wins record fourth World Cup title

Catch all the live updates from the final between India and Australia.

Manjot Kalra (56) notched up his second fifty in the tournament.

And there it is. The winning runs coming off Harvik Desai's bat as India beats Australia by 8 wickets to lift a record fourth U-19 World Cup title. Congratulations India!

There it is! Kalra gets to his 100 and what a knock this has been from the youngster. Cometh the hour, cometh the man...err...boy! An innings studded with eight boundaries and three monstrous sixes. India can smell victory now!! Just 3 runs away.

 

 

35 Overs: 196/2

Manjot Kalra's 97 off 95 has been the fulcrum of India's terrific run chase tonight. The dismissal of Shaw didn't deter him from playing his shots and now he has brought India on the cusp of creating history. India needs 21 runs to win.

30 Overs: 170/2

Kalra (85) and Desai (15) taking India closer to the title as the wheels start to come off Australia's challenge. Uppal has been brilliant with the ball, figures of 1 for 16 a testament to that. However, he has had little help from others. The quality of Australia's ground fielding, though, has been top notch. But India well and truly in the driver's seat at the moment. It needs 47 runs to win.

25 Overs: 144/2

Australia looked demoralised; its captain Jason Sanga, out of plans, until Param Uppal got the prized scalp of Gill; the ball beating the inside edge and crashing into the top of off-stump. Kalra's still out there, batting on 70 off 69 deliveries. India would like him to see this through! It needs another 73 runs to win.

Harvik Desai comes to the crease.

Param Uppal gets the much needed breakthrough; Gill is out bowled! India 131/2.

20 Overs: 125/1

Manjot Kalra (56) notched up his second fifty in the tournament at slightly more than run a ball as India furthered its dominance in the run chase. Kalra, through his aggressive brand of play, has enusred the momentum remained with India even after Shaw's dismissal. 

Gill too announced his arrival at the crease with four breathtaking boundaries, moving to 30 in quick time. Australia's wheels are not off, not yet, but they've been loosened. India needs 92 runs to win.

15 Overs: 97/1

Will Sutherland got the big wicket of Prithvi Shaw; the Indian captain looking to play straight and missing the ball completely. Australia needed that!

Meanwhile, Manjot Kalra (43) continues to pile misery on the opposition bowlers - two back-to-back boundaries off Jack Edwards followed by a monstrous six off Australia's trump card Lloyd Pope has brought the required run-rate down to 3.43. India needs 120 runs to win.

In-form batsman Shubman Gill walks out to the middle.

Gone! Sutherland gets the big wicket of Shaw; the Indian skipper playing inside the line and losing his off-stump. And Australia can breathe a sigh of relief. India 71/1

10 Overs: 55/0

Both openers now hitting their stride with Shaw (29) and Kalra (19) playing some delightful strokes en route to the team's fifty - this being the duo's fourth half-century stand in five matches. Australia needs wickets!

Out come the two openers Shaw and Kalra. Ryan Hadley to resume proceedings after the rain-break.

Some good news from the venue where the covers have come off and the super soppers are out doing their job! The players are going off as the covers start to come out. It's raining at the Bay Oval and we're in for a short delay.

4 overs: 23/0

Shaw (10) and Kalra (9) have begun on a cautious note. With Hadley and Evans both bowling probing lines, the onus will be on the opening pair to see off the early spell. India's middle order hasn't been tested this tournament, so if Australia can make inroads with the new ball, we could be in for a tight contest.

And Laxman's very very special praise for the Indian bowlers!

 

Meanwhile, Sehwag has taken to Twitter to wish the India U-19 boys good luck.

 

India openers Prithvi Shaw and Manjot Kalra make their way out to start the chase of 217. The target looks easy but the batsmen need to hold their nerves.

All-rounder Jonathan Merlo struck 76 as Australia scraped through the death overs to post a total of 216. India, despite some lacklustre fielding, recovered well through some tight bowling from spinners Anukul Roy (2 for 32), Abhishek Sharma (0 for 30) and Shiva Singh (2 for 36). They found able support from pacers Nagarkoti (2 for 41), Porel (2 for 30) and Mavi (1 for 46). India needs 217 to win and clinch a record fourth Under-19 World Cup title.

The danger man departs; Merlo (76) perishes trying to reverse sweep Anukul Roy - fellow left-arm spinner Shiva Singh taking a simple catch at sweeper-cover. Australia 212/7. Fast and furious Nagarkoti gets the yorker right as Australia loses its eighth wicket. Zak Evans departs for 1. Australia 214/8. Australia commiting harakiri at the Bay Oval. Wicket no. 9 goes down as Shiva Singh's throw from the deep finds Holt (13) short of his crease. Australia 216/9. And Mavi bowls Australia out for 216, Ryan Hadley (1) edging one to Harvik Desai behind the stumps.

45 Overs: 210/6

India's struggles on the field today were summed up by Riyan Parag, who conceded a boundary in the deep, making a complete mess of Sutherland's slice past point.

Minutes later though, Sutherland was headed back to the dressing room thanks to some brilliant glovework from 'keeper Harvik Desai who pouched an inside edge off Shiva Singh. India is slowly crawling back into the contest. Merlo, on 75, is running out of partners here. Can Australia get past 250? How many can it get in the last five overs?

Baxter Holt is the new man in.

Shiva strikes again, this time it's Will Sutherland (5) who has edged one to the 'keeper Harvik Desai!! Australia 191/6.

40 Overs: 185/5

Wicket of McSweeney coming at the right time. Merlo, in the meantime, has moved to 63. He hasn't stepped foot on the pedal yet but the odd boundaries combined with ones and twos could see Australia inch closer to the 250 run mark. Historically, the highest successful run chase in a U-19 World Cup final has been 241.

Nathan McSweeney (23) departs, out caught & bowled by Shiva Singh. Australia 183/5.

35 Overs: 163/4

Merlo (54) brings up his half-century. It has been a top knock from the all-rounder, who bagged a four-fer in the semi-final. Australia, despite losing four wickets, has not gone into a shell,  running the ones and twos when the opportunity presents itself. India , on the other hand, would be hoping to conjure a dismissal before Merlo decides to go hammer and tongs!

30 Overs: 142/4

Anukul Roy getting a much needed breakthrough with Uppal's dismissal. Merlo (46), with an assortment of sweep and reverse-sweep shots, has kept the Indian spinners quiet so far. Australia would want the tall right-hander to make the most of this start.

Nathan McSweeney comes to the crease.

Anukul strikes!!! Uppal (34) tried to work it towards the leg-side but ended up offering a simple catch back to the bowler. The partnership has been broken. Australia 130/4.

25 Overs: 117/3

Fifty partnership up between Uppal and Merlo as they look to shift gears. Shaw has turned to two left-arm spinners in the middle overs, both asking questions of the batsmen but to no avail.

Anukul Roy, left-arm spinner, has been called into the attack. Shaw shuffling around his spinners here.

20 Overs: 94/3

Uppal and Merlo trying to repair the damage done by the pace duo of Nagarkoti and Porel. Not much turn on offer yet but Shiva has kept the batsmen quiet with a tight line and length. Uppal's cut shot off Nagarkoti was an absolute delight to watch. Meanwhile, the lightning fast outfield at the Bay Oval seems to be aiding the batsmen.

15 Overs: 72/3

Australia has lost three wickets in a space of 27 runs. Nagarkoti and wicket-keeper Harvik Desai combining to get rid of Sangha - last wicket to fall - who had a needless go at a delivery outside the off-stump. That said, India continues to blow hot and cold on the field. Param Uppal and Jonathan Merlo, the two new batters in the middle.

Nagarkoti gets his first! That's as much a 'keeper's wicket as it is Nagarkoti's. Sangha edges one behind the stumps. Australia 59/3.

Change off bowling. Left-arm spinner Shiva Singh and Nagarkoti to bowl in tandem.

10 Overs: 52/2

Edwards decided to have a go at the Indian seamers, slamming five boundaries en  route to 28 before hitting one straight to K.L. Nagarkoti off Porel's bowling. India , save the two dismissals, has been sloppy on the field so far.

Out! Caught! Dangerous looking Edwards (28) departs as Porel gets his second wicket. Australia 52/2.

Captain Jason Sangha walks out to the middle.

There it is! Porel draws first blood as Bryant (14) hits that one straight to Abhishek Sharma! Australia 32/1.

5 Overs: 32/0

A steady start from Australia as Mavi and Ishan Porel operate the new ball in tandem. It's quite overcast at the moment, however rarely has the ball swung in the air. Bryant's clip over deep mid-wicket for a boundary was the highlight of the first five overs.

The Australians are playing some positive cricket at the moment! That said, India could've had its first breakthrough but for a missing first slip - Edwards slashing at one that flew past the diving 'keeper for four runs.

Jack Edwards and Max Bryant to open the innings for Australia, Shivam Mavi with the new ball!

It's time for the national anthems as both teams, led by their respective captains, walk out to the middle.

 

Here's India's Playing XI : Prithvi Shaw(c), Manjot Kalra, Shubman Gill, Harvik Desai(w), Riyan Parag, Abhishek Sharma, Anukul Roy, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi, Shiva Singh, Ishan Porel

TOSS UPDATE: Australia has won the toss and decided to bat first.

Both teams have been clinical in their performances so far but it all boils down to this one, big game. Here's our preview for today's match!

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Hello and welcome to Sportstar's live coverage of the ICC U-19 World Cup final between India and Australia.