India has won the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup for the third time defeating Australia by six wickets thanks to skipper Unumkt Chand's 111 not out.
Australia made 225-8 Sunday after being sent in to bat, with captain William Bosisto scoring 87 not out.
India started strongly before collapsing to 97-4 before Chand guided the winners to 227-4 in the 48th over.
Chand, who hit seven fours and six sixes, shared in a 130-run partnership with Smit Patel (62 not out), who hit the winning runs with eight balls remaining.
Australia, which also has three under-19 World Cup titles, had never lost a final in the tournament.
India beat Australia to win Under-19 cricket World Cup
TOWNSVILLE: Unmukt Chand led from the front with a magnificent hundred as India Under-19 lifted their third World Cup title after beating formidable defending champions Australia by six wickets in the final on Sunday.
Courtesy a magnificent unbeaten 111 by Unmukt and his unbroken partnership of 130 runs with glovesman Smit Patel, India overhauled a competitive target of 226 on a bouncy strip with 14 balls to spare.
It was one of the best centuries one could have witnessed at the junior level as Unmukt hit seven fours and as many as six sixes during his 130-ball knock. He completed his century with a six over extra cover off Alex Gregory but the celebrations were very muted. The skipper knew that the job was only half done.
Once Smit, who hit an effective 62, slog-swept off-spinner Ashton Turner towards deep mid-wicket for a four a number of Indian supporters rushed to the ground along to celebrate with the team.
Though four wickets were lost in the chase, it never looked like an uphill task for the Indians, who were subdued in the middle overs but accelerated towards the end to get to the target with ease.
After Prashant Chopra was out chasing a delivery down leg side of Mark Steketee without troubling the scorers, Unmukt and in-form batsman Baba Aparajith (33) took the attack to the opposition.
The duo added 73 runs for the second wicket playing the Aussie pace trio of Steketee, Joel Paris and Gurinder Sandhu with ease. At 97/4, Smit Patel joined Unmukt and the circumstances were difficult. The boundaries dried up and so did the singles.
It was Smit, who hit fine straight drives as India got their first boundary after 44 deliveries. Slowly, the two resurrected the innings with singles and twos. There were the occasional boundaries but only a few compared to the flurry of fours that Unmukt and Aparajith hit in first 15 overs.
Earlier, India frittered away the early advantage as defending champions Australia recovered from a shaky start to post a competitive 225/8.
Electing to field after winning the toss Indians had the Aussies on the mat at 38 for 4 before host skipper William Bosisto (87 not out) rebuilt the innings with the help of some notable contributions down the order from Tavis Head (37) and Ashton Turner. Colts 'veteran' Sandeep Sharma who got four for 54 was the most successful bowler. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...n-Under-19-World-Cup/articleshow/15722847.cms
