Yash Dhull, Shaik Rasheed lead the way as India thrash Australia to reach 4th straight Under-19 World Cup final

The Indian Under-19 team defeated Australia U-19 in the Under-19 World Cup semi-final on Thursday at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua. A fine century by captain Yash Dhull and a magnificent knock of 94 by his deputy, Shaik Rasheed, led them to a 96-run victory.

Dhull hit 110 runs while Rasheed fell just short of a century of his own after India got off to a difficult start. Their 204-run partnership and a sensational 27-run final over saw India post a daunting total of 290/5 before bowling their opponents out for 194.

After a good effort with the bat, India got off to a great start with the ball as well. Pacer Ravi Kumar trapped the in-form Australian opener Teague Wyllie LBW in the second over.

However, Australia turned the momentum around with a 70-run stand between Campbell Kellaway and Corey Miller. The two were set at the crease and were looking threatening before Miller was trapped LBW by Angkrish Raghuvanshi in the 17th over for 38.

Left-arm spinner Vicky Ostwal then got the wicket of Kellaway in the very next over as India got back on top of things. Kellaway was batting on 30 when he chipped a length ball straight to short midwicket as he looked to go back to his crease and defend. It was a soft dismissal, but a key one for India.

Australia U-19 skipper Cooper Connolly was next to fall as the Men in Blue kept making inroads. Nishant Sindhu, with his orthodox left-arm spin, was the one to claim his wicket. A top-edge off an attempted sweep was lapped up by Rasheed at short fine leg.

Lachlan Shaw and Nivethan Radhakrishnan looked to steady the ship, but the latter was was bowled off an inside edge by Sindhu.

Shaw kept going for Australia even as Ostwal removed William Salzmann and wicketkeeper Tobias Snell at the other end. Shaw and Jack Sinfield put on a neat 42-run stand. But their belligerence was brought to an end when the latter was beaten in flight by off-spinner Kaushal Tambe and stumped by gloveman Dinesh Bana.

Shaw brought up his half-century off 64 deliveries, but got out in the very same over. He got an inside edge on to the stumps looking to heave Ravi Kumar through the leg-side.

The final wicket came thanks to a brilliant direct-hit by Rajvardhan Hangargekar from mid-off, who caught Tom Whitney short of the crease at the non-striker's end.

Yash Dhull and Shaik Rasheed star in India's batting effort

Captain Yash Dhull won the toss and opted to bat. The openers got off to a cautious start before William Salzmann bowled Angkrish Raghuvanshi with a peach of a delivery.

His opening partner Harnoor Singh Pannu was the next to go as he was caught behind down the leg-side, leaving India reeling at 37/2 in 12.3 overs.

However, Dhull joined Rasheed at the crease then and the two batted their way out of trouble. Having first steadied the ship, they soon shifted their focus on improving the run rate. Dhull took the lead in this effort, playing some fine shots along the way.

In the 41st over, Rasheed also decided to join in, hitting Salzmann for three consecutive boundaries. Dhull then hit two back-to-back boundaries off Tom Whitney before running two to reach his century. He took off his helmet and jumped to punch the air, celebrating a very well-made century.

He came down the track to hit Whitney for a massive six down the ground off the very next delivery as India set their sights on a big finish.

However, his knock was brought to an unfortunate end. Pacer Jack Nisbet managed to deflect a Rasheed shot hit straight towards him onto the stumps, with Dhull caught out of the crease.

Nisbet had Rasheed caught at point off the very next delivery to give Australia some hope of keeping India down to a decent total.

However, Rajvardhan Hangargekar hit a six and a boundary before being dismissed. Then Nishant Sindhu and Dinesh Bana smashed 27 runs off the final over by Tom Whitney to take India to 290/5.

Sindhu finished with 12 off 10, with one boundary and a solitary six, while Bana hit an incredible 20 off four with two sixes and as many boundaries.

At one point, it seemed as if 250 would be a good score for India to get to. But the class of their skipper and vice-captain and their batting depth saw them post a score too high for Australia to chase.

They have now reached the final of the Under-19 World Cup four times in a row, and five times in the last six editions.

The Men in Blue will face England U-19 in the final on Saturday in Antigua.