Chand inspires India to third ICC U19 Cricket World Cup title
Unmukt Chand became only the third batsman in history to score a century in an ICC U19 Cricket World Cup final as India defeated Australia by six wickets at Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville yesterday.
Chand, who had scored only 135 runs in the lead up to the final, thoroughly displayed his temperament, talent and shotselection to score a masterly 111 not out as India achieved the 226 run target for the loss of six wickets with 14 balls to spare.
Unmukt Chand became only the third batsman in history to score a century in an ICC U19 Cricket World Cup final as India defeated Australia by six wickets at Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville yesterday.
Chand, who had scored only 135 runs in the lead up to the final, thoroughly displayed his temperament, talent and shot-selection to score a masterly 111 not out as India achieved the 226 run target for the loss of six wickets with 14 balls to spare.
The victory gave India its third World Cup title, after Mohammad Kaif and Virat Kohli had lifted the trophies in 2000 in Sri Lanka and 2008 in Malaysia, respectively. In contrast, Australia failed in its attempt to match Pakistan’s feat of winning backto-back titles. Both Australia and India now have won the World Cup three times, while Pakistan has won it twice and England once. The defeat also dashed Australian coach Stuart Law’s bid to win his second World Cup title after his first came as a member of the Australia side that won the inaugural event in its backyard in 1988. In the final at Adelaide Oval 24 years ago, Law had chipped in with a valuable 44 and had featured in a 97-run second wicket stand with opener Brett Williams as Australia defeated Pakistan by five wickets.
When Chand clubbed a six over extra-cover, his fifth and last of a 130-ball innings that also included seven fours, he joined an exclusive company of Australia’s Brett Williams and England’s Stephen Peters to score centuries in World Cup finals. In- terestingly, all the three centuries have now come in winning causes. Williams’ 108 helped Australia to defeat Pakistan in 1988 while Peters’ 107 earned England a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in 1998. Scores Australia 225 for eight in 50 overs (Will Bosisto 87 not out, Aston Turner 43; Sandeep Sharma 4-54)
India 227 for four, 47.4 overs (Unmukt Chand 111 not out, Smit Patel 62 not out, Baba Aparajith 33)