This Day That Year: Indian team lifts the Under 19 World Cup

 

Thanks to a captain knock by Unmukt Chand, the Indian Under 19 Team became the champions for the 3^rd time as they defeated Australia played at Townsville on 26^th August 2012.

Indian captain Unmukt won the toss and decided to field first. It was an ideal start as Sandeep Sharma got two early breakthroughs dismissing Jimmy Peirson and Cameron Bancroft cheaply to leave the hosts in trouble at 8 for 2. Kurtis Patterson and Meyrick Buchanan steadied the innings for the innings ending the first 10 overs at 37 for 2.

Baba Aparajith produced a beauty to get rid of Patterson. Patterson and Buchanan put on 30 runs for the 3^rd wicket. Soon after Ravikanth Singh dismissed Buchanan to leave Australia in trouble at 38 for 4. Travis Head and Australian captain Bosisto rescued the innings for the hosts hitting boundaries and rotating the strike. Both played according to the merit and kept on increasing the scoreboard. A brilliant throw by Harmeet Singh and gather by Aparajith ended the innings for Head. Head and Bosisto put on 65 runs for the 5^th wicket.

The young Ashton Turner and Bosisto put the pressure back on the Indian bowlers. Bosisto kept calm to reach his fifty off 94 balls. It was a sensible display of batting by both Australian batsmen. With things looking good for Australia, Sandeep Sharma struck again getting rid of Turner. Turner and Bosisto added 93 runs for the 6^th wicket. As wickets fell at the other end, Bosisto remained calm to help Australia post 225 for 8 in 50 overs.

Chasing 226 runs to win, it was a shaky start for the visitors as Prashant Chopra was dismissed by Steketee for 0. Indian captain Unmukt Chand looked in great touch timing the ball and putting the pressure on the Australian bowlers. Baba Aparajith made the batting look easy. At the end of 10 overs, India raced away to 60 for 1.

Unmukt really showed his class and kept on piling the pressure. Sandhu broke the partnership getting rid of Aparajith for 33. Chand and Aparajith put on 74 runs for the 2^nd wicket. Hanuma Vihari and Vijay Zol went in quick succession to be in trouble at 97 for 4.

Chand showed his class and reached his fifty off 66 balls. The Australian bowlers kept on the pressure on Indian batsmen with lines and lengths. After the struggle, Patel and Chand made life tough for the Australian bowlers. Both rotated the strike and hit boundaries on bad balls.

With 61 runs required off last 10 overs, Chand led from the front and completed his century off 126 balls. Patel joined in the party with a half-century off 79 balls. Patel hit the winning runs to help the Indian team win the match by six wickets with 14 balls to spare.

The Indian Under 19 Team lifted the 3^rd Under 19 title. For his superb knock, Unmukt Chand won the match of the match award.

Indian Under 19 227 for 4 in 47.4 overs ( Unmukt Chand 111*, Smit Patel 62*, Joel Paris 1/33) beat Australian Under 19 225 for 8 in 50 overs ( Bosisto 87*, Turner 43, Sandeep Sharma 4/54) by six wickets.

 

  

 This Day That Year: Indian Team won the Under 19 World Cup in 2012 for third time