‘Thrice’ as bad!

India has much to ponder after their World Cup ambitions were given a reality check with bat and ball in a 79-run loss to Australia on a predictably balmy Sunday afternoon in South Africas Benoni. Perhaps, in what was a chance to make a major statement in front of a sea of yellow at Willowmoore Park, the Indians were powerless as Australia stormed to a healthy 253 for seven, the highest total by any team in the U-19 World Cup final history, and conversely, Indias worst performance with the ball ever in this tournament. Also Read: A shot at unprecedented glory! In response, the Australian teens were more ‘tug boat than ‘cruiser, a lack of urgency - and disciplined bowling - having them capsize for a lowly 174 on the final ball of the day, ensuring Indias first defeat in the tournament, much like the senior team in the World Cup last November. Its unbelievable. I am so proud of this group of boys and the coaches. A lot of work has gone in over the last few months, Australia captain Hugh Weibgen said. We had a fair bit of confidence that if we got 250 on the board, wed defend it. India, obviously, is a class side, they dominated the whole tournament and they were on the wrong side today but they have a lot of class. Indias U-19 World Cup campaign seemed like a dream until Sunday, not because it was fleeting or because it would be something to fondly reminisce about in the future, but because each game, like a dream, had a tale to share. But while Australia werent exactly favourites going into the summit clash, the pressure was definitely on India, the defending champions, to avenge the 2023 final defeat. Having said that, India has had the perfect tournament on their undefeated run to the final, riding the wave of home support and not looking like crumbling under the weight of a nation of 1.4 billion people. We played a few rash shots, couldnt spend more time at the crease. We had prepared, but couldnt execute, said skipper Uday Saharan during the post-match presentation. It was a very good tournament. I am very proud of the boys, they all played very well. They all showed great fighting spirit from the start, very proud of them. We got to learn a lot from the start to now. From the coaching staff to the games, learned a lot. Now we just need to keep learning more and move ahead. Also Read: To err is DRS? If only India had managed to get away with several of those rash shots that undermined their batting expertise at large, it could have been their sixth title. This marked Indias fifth successive U-19 World Cup final appearance and their third against the Aussies, who had never beaten them in a U-19 World Cup final until Sunday. Australia was also unbeaten throughout the tournament, and there was always a familiar sense that it would feel very much like a bonus if they won the final, much like their unexpected triumph at the 2021 T20 World Cup or the 2023 ODI World Cup. But it was simply victory or bust for India, who have been looking to overcome somewhat of an ICC hoodoo, but to no avail. Cricket pundits would argue that the power balance in global cricket has tilted more towards India over the past decade via the Indian Premier League and the far-reaching control of Indias governing cricket body, the BCCI. No doubt, be it at the senior level or the U-19, India has been a dominant force in cricket for some time, but the truth is, there arent any regular trophies to show for it. Indias World Cup campaign on Sunday ended with a familiar sight, as Saharan left the field in tears, reviving memories of senior mens team captain Rohit Sharmas sorrowful reaction to the teams exit in the final last year. Yet though downcast at their defeat, Saharans boys at least have the consolation of knowing that they did everything in their power to work a miracle and squeeze into the final stage. But who can fight destiny after all?! (With quotes from PTI)

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‘Thrice’ as bad!

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