Aussie U19s fall short against powerhouse India side

Australia has been knocked out of the Under-19 World Cup by India for the third consecutive tournament, after their all-round firepower proved too much in the second semi-final.

A century to India captain Yash Dhull and 94 for vice-captain Shaik Rasheed in a 204-run partnership for the third wicket proved decisive as Australia went down by 96 runs.

Chasing 291 for a spot in the final against England, Australia lost in-form 17-year-old opener Teague Wyllie for one in the second over and crumbled through the middle overs against India's spin heavy attack to be all out for 194 in the 42nd over.

India won the toss and elected to bat, with Australia making one change to their most recent XI; ambidextrous spinner Nivethan Radhakrishnan returning having recovered from COVID-19.

He replaced the unlucky Aidan Cahill, who just days after entering his name into the 2022 IPL auction and having hammered 72 off 45 balls against Scotland earlier in the tournament, was left out.

India's openers made a circumspect start to see off Australia's opening pair of Tom Whitney and Jack Nisbet, but a smart bowling change to bring William Salzmann on in the eighth over delivered the breakthrough.

Salzmann, who produced a ball-of-the-tournament contender with a perfect yorker in the quarter-final win against Pakistan, bettered that on just his fourth ball today, with an unplayable delivery that angled in and seamed away to send Angkrish Raghuvanshi's off-stump cartwheeling.

Harnoor Singh, who scored a ton against Australia in a warm-up match, gloved a Nisbet delivery to 'keeper Tobias Snell, leaving India 2-37.

Dhull and Rasheed then began their partnership as Aussie skipper Cooper Connolly brought himself and off-spinner Jack Sinfield into the attack. There was turn on offer for both, however the Indian batters played them, and Radhakrishnan when he was introduced, with relative ease.

Australia should have had a breakthrough with 10 overs remaining when a mix-up saw both batters stranded mid-pitch, but Salzmann's throw to the wicketkeeper went so far over Snell's head both batters were able to safely make their ground.

It encapsulated a sloppy day in the field by the Aussies who were put under pressure by India's running between the wickets.

Dhull reached his century in the 4th over after a flurry of boundaries, but was forced to depart for a brilliant, run-a-ball 110 when he was run out at the non-striker's end as Nisbet got a fingertip to a Rasheed straight drive.

Rasheed then fell next ball for 94 as Sinfield grasped a sharp chance at backward point, leaving India 4-241.

India took 27 off the last over from Whitney to finish on 5-290, with Nisbet taking 2-41 and Salzmann 2-57.

Already facing a daunting run chase, the Aussies lost their leading run scorer when a left-arm inswinger from Ravi Kumar trapped Wyllie in front of his stumps for just one.

NSW batter Corey Miller and the in-form Campbell Kellaway put on 67 for the second wicket before Miler (38) was lbw off Raghuvanshi.

Kellaway was gone for 30 quickly after when he pushed a bouncing Vicky Ostwal delivery to short mid-wicket, as India took control at 3-74.

Connolly (3) was unable to replicate his century against India in the warm-up match, and top-edged Nishant Sindhu to short fine leg.

Radhakrishnan (11) and Salzmann (7) came and went quickly and despite a quick-fire 20 off 13 balls from Sinfield, the Aussies were bowled out in the 42nd over.

Spinners Ostwal and Sindhu finished with figures of 3-42 a 2-25 respectively, while Northern District wicketkeeper-batter Lachlan Shaw was the only Aussie batter to show some resistance with a hard-fought 51 off 66 balls.

India's victory sees them advance to a fourth straight U19 World Cup final, where they will this time take on England, who marginally defeated Afghanistan in the first semi-final.

India currently holds the most U19 World Cup titles with four, while England's sole triumph came back in 1998, their last trip to the deciding match.

Australia will round out their tournament with a clash against Afghanistan for third place on Friday (midnight Saturday AEDT), hoping to end a roller-coaster campaign on a high.