This year, it will be a repeat of the 2018 U19 World Cup final, where India and Australia faced off for the title at Willowmoor Park in Benoni, South Africa. In the semi-finals, both teams had a few close matches, with Australia being closer than India. India defeated South Africa by two wickets, while Australia defeated Pakistan by one wicket.
The semi-final was the first time India faced a serious challenge in the tournament. Of the five matches India had won so far, they had won three by over 200 runs. Many players have stepped up in various aspects, so let's take a look at some of them.
Uday Sahara: The captain was an inspiration both on the field and with the bat. Saharan was the highest run-scorer of the tournament and showed the ability to play long innings and value wickets while maintaining a good strike rate. Despite being 32/4 chasing 245 at one point, it was he and Sachin Das who led India to victory against South Africa.
Sachin Das: The right-hander has had dream games in his last two matches, both of which came in big partnerships with Sahara. In India's final Super Six match, he smashed 100 off 107 balls against Nepal and then led Nepal to victory with 96 off 95 balls against South Africa.
Mushir Khan: Mushir, the younger brother of Mumbai batsman Sarfaraz Khan, arrived with a reputation as a dependable all-rounder. He lived up to that feeling throughout the tournament, becoming the second-highest scorer heading into the finals. He scored 338 runs in six matches with two and a half centuries. Masher also did well with an average of 23.33 and he took 6 wickets.
Soumi Pandey: Pandey, India's highest wicket-taker and vice-captain in this tournament, has been compared to Ravindra Jadeja in relying on his shoulders to generate speed and precision. Pandey he took 17 wickets and his average and economy of 8.47 and his 2.44 are the best for a bowler with a minimum of 5 wickets in this tournament.
Arshin Kulkarni: If he doesn't get you with the bat, he'll get you with the ball. Kulkarni has played much like that in this tournament, but both had a rare day off in the semi-final against South Africa. Kulkarni conceded 10 runs with no wickets in his two overs and was dismissed after just 12 runs. Still, Kulkarni is a rare talent in Indian cricket, able to open the batting and bowl full spells with genuine pace, which alone makes him one of India's most important weapons in the finals. Masu. Kulkarni has scored 186 runs, including one century. He also took his four wickets at an average of 16.75.