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World champs
A brilliant hundred by Manjot Kalra and some fine bowling earlier in the day enabled India beat Australia by eight wickets and win the Under-19 World Cup in Mount Maunganui near here on Saturday.
Christchurch: A brilliant hundred by Manjot Kalra and some fine bowling earlier in the day enabled India beat Australia by eight wickets and win the Under-19 World Cup in Mount Maunganui near here on Saturday.
Chasing 217 for victory after Australia elected to bat in the final, India hit up the required runs easily and won with 11.1 overs to spare. Kalra was unbeaten on 101 in the company of Harvik Desai (47).
The Rahul Dravid-coached side thus becomes the first team in the history of the event to win the crown for a record fourth time. The triumph put skipper Prithvi Shaw, already being seen as the next big thing in Indian cricket, alongside the likes of Mohammad Kaif (2002), Virat Kohli (2008) and Unmukt Chand (2012) who led teams to the Under-19 World Cup title previously.
The team's performance was also a fitting tribute to coach Dravid, who finally got his hands on a World Cup trophy.Under Dravid, the side had finished runners-up in the 2016 edition in Bangladesh.
India's previous title came in Australia six years ago when the Unmukt Chand-led team beat the hosts in the final. The Virat Kohli-led side was victorious in 2008 and Mohammed Kaif was captain when India triumphed way back in 2000.
It was only fitting that India finished the tournament unbeaten.Having lost skipper Shaw (29) and Gill (31), Kalra displayed commendable calm to see the team through in the chase.
Harvik Desai provided the support Kalra needed after India were 131 for two in the 22nd over, needing another 86 for victory.Kalra, who had smashed a match-winning 86 against Australia in the tournament opener, was in devastating touch again.
He hammered the spinners for huge sixes and showed his silken touch by beautifully driving the pacers through covers.In the end, he finished with eight fours and three sixes.It was only fitting that he reached the three figures in the last over of the final.
