Heavyweights India and Australia will face off in a blockbuster Tremendous League semifinal of the Below-19 World Cup right here on Wednesday, having overwhelmed their opponents on the sector and COVID-19 off it, on technique to the final 4 stage. India’s preparations for the age-group showpiece have been impacted closely by the virus, with hardly any nationwide camps or tournaments within the final two years besides the current Asia Cup.
The four-time champions began the event on the proper observe, overcoming a very good South Africa facet by 45 runs, however quickly ran right into a scenario the place they have been struggling to subject a enjoying XI after a number of gamers have been discovered to have contracted COVID-19 hours earlier than their match in opposition to Eire.
5 members of the squad have been unavailable for his or her second group conflict, in opposition to Eire on January 19 after a COVID outbreak.
Captain Yash Dhull, his deputy Shaik Rasheed, Aaradhya Yadav, Manav Parakh and Siddarth Yadav have been a part of that group and missed each the Eire and Uganda fixtures, forcing the BCCI to fly in reinforcements.
India have been with out many gamers for his or her match with Uganda and needed to name in six reserves to play with the non-infected members of their squad.
However a spirited India received the higher of all of the challenges thrown at them and soundly defeated Eire and Uganda earlier than prevailing over Bangladesh by 5 wickets in a difficult chase of their quarterfinal match on a floor that was not conducive for enjoying strokes.
India are actually again to full power and in one other excellent news, Nishant Sindhu has recovered from COVID-19 and might be accessible for choice for the all-important semifinal.
But when the match in opposition to Bangladesh was any indication, India want to enhance their ending with bat.
Nevertheless, earlier than that, regardless of lacking many first XI gamers, India put up large totals in opposition to Eire (307/5) and Uganda (405/), and registered their greatest ever victory phrases of runs in opposition to the African group.
Now up in opposition to a formidable Australian facet, India will take confidence from the truth that they made the semifinals with wins on the trot regardless of the challenges posed the virus.
That is the fourth time in a row that India might be showing within the last-four stage of the competitors.
India have a robust batting presence with the likes of Harnoor Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Raj Bawa, who broke Shikhar Dhawan’s file for the best particular person rating by an Indian batter on the U-19 World Cup along with his 162 not out in opposition to Uganda, shouldering the accountability, apart from skipper Dhull and Rasheed.
Actually, it was Dhull who set the tone for the group along with his soild 82 in opposition to South Africa of their event opener.
The bowling division is taken care of by left-arm pacer Ravi Kumar, who wreaked havoc in a five-over spell to depart Bangladesh struggling at 14/3, right-arm seamer Rajvardhan Hangargekar, spinners Vicky Ostwal and Kaushal Tambe, apart from medium pacer Bawa.
So far as Australia are involved, the two-time champions might be on a excessive after their convincing win over Pakistan within the quarters.
Australia have a famous person within the making in opener Teague Wyllie.
The 17-year-old has been one of many stars of the World Cup thus far, showcasing his spectacular array of pictures and an attacking but managed temperament. And the Western Australian teen has no scarcity of self-confidence both, making him an all-round bundle with each likelihood of constructing it within the worldwide recreation.
Wyllie was at his fluent finest in opposition to Pakistan, serving to his facet get off to a terrific begin as he stroked eight fours in a powerful 97-ball 71 India might be cautious of him.
Tom Whitney (2/31) and William Salzmann (3/37) have been the stand-out performers with the ball in opposition to Pakistan, and there is hardly any apparent weak hyperlink for India to take advantage of.
India had overwhelmed Australia within the warm-up recreation.
India U19 doubtless XI: Yash Dhull (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Harnoor Singh, Raj Bawa, Kaushal Tambe, Dinesh Bana, Nishant Sindhu, Vicky Ostwal, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Vasu Vats and Ravi Kumar.
Promoted
Australia U19 doubtless XI: Cooper Connolly (c), Campbell Kellaway, Teague Wyllie, Aidan Cahill, Corey Miller, Jack Sinfield, Tobias Snell, William Salzmann, Jack Nisbet, Lachlan Shaw and Tom Whitney.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Matters talked about on this article