West Indies stun India to win maiden U-19 World Cup

Sarfaraz Khan's fifth 50-plus score in six innings in the tournament in vain.

Windies pacers send India crashing for 145 in 45.1 overs.

Keacy Carty hit an unbeaten fifty to steer the West Indies to a thrilling five-wicket victory in the ICC Under-19 World Cup final, in Mirpur, on Sunday.

Chasing India’s paltry total of 145, the West Indies won with three balls to spare and claimed their maiden Under-19 World title.

Earlier, India’s batsmen flopped when it mattered most and Rahul Dravid-coached three-time champions were dismissed in 45.1 overs.

- Scorecard

The same batsmen who steered India to the final unbeaten, failed to apply themselves in the crunch game after they were put in to bat by the West Indies on a green top.

The West Indies’ heroes were Man of the Match Carty (52 not out off 125 ball) and Keemo Paul (40 not out off 68 balls). Both kept their cool in the high-pressure game to take the side home.

Like India, the Caribbeans also did not have a good start. Both their openers -- Gifron Pope (3) and Tevin Imlach (15) -- were dismissed with just 28 runs on the board.

Skipper Shimron Hetmyer (23) and Carty then put together a 39-run third-wicket stand.

However, left-arm spinner Mayank Dagar gave India the much-needed breakthrough when he had Hetmyer caught at long-on by Armaan Jaffer.

Next man in was Shamar Springer (3), the West Indies' most successful batsman in the tournament with 282 runs prior to the final. But the right-hander could not make an impact and struggled for nine deliveries before an attempted slog-sweep had him caught by Jaffer, off Dagar again.

While wickets were tumbling around him, Carty kept his cool to plough on even though the scoring rate was painfully slow.

The proceedings livened up when Carty was joined by Paul.

The 17-year-old Paul pushed hard for his singles and it was his six off Dagar that broke the shackles for the West Indies after a lengthy stretch of dot balls.

The 69-run stand between Carty and Paul made all the difference in the end as the Indians finally met their match in the summit clash.

The Indian bowlers, led by Dagar (3-25), were saddled with the tough task of defending a paltry total and they did a decent job for most part of the match but, eventually, it was not enough.

The Indian fielders were also guilty of spilling a few good chances, which could have tilted the match in their way.

Earlier, Sarfaraz Khan (51 off 89) was the lone exception as he saved the Ishan Kishan-led Indians -- looking to win their first World Cup since 2012 -- the embarrassment of being bowled out for a sub-100 total with a fifth 50-plus score in six innings.

In the process he became the only batsman to score the most half-centuries (7) in the history of the tournament.

While the Indian batting flattered to deceive, the West Indies bowlers did well to exploit the conditions.

Alzarri Joseph (3-39) ran through top order before Ryan John (3-38) dealt crucial blows.

Chemar Holder kept things tight to maintain pressure on the Indian batsmen, conceding only 20 runs in 10 overs with a timely wicket of Mahipal Lomror.

India, aiming for an unprecedented fourth title, lost their top three for 27 runs, all falling to Joseph.

Rishabh Pant was stumped in an unusual manner, West Indian ‘keeper Tevin Imlach showing presence of mind to fox the Indian opener, who was standing out of his crease while leaving an away-going delivery.

Anmolpreet Singh, who scored a gritty 50 in the semi-finals, edged a sharp one to the wicketkeeper, and, soon after, captain Ishan Kishan was gone too, ending his disappointing run in the tournament in which he scored a solitary fifty in six innings.

However, he was out leg before wicket to a ball that appeared to pitch outside the leg-stump.

The fall of Armaan Jaffer made it 50 for five and after that began the innings repair exercise by Sarfaraz and Lomror (19 off 43), who added 37 runs for the sixth wicket.

India badly needed another decent partnership for a respectable total but that did not happen as Sarfaraz kept running out of partners until he missed a crossed-batted shot and was caught plumb in front, leaving his team reeling at 120 for eight.

His 89-ball effort comprised five fours and a six.

The tail did not contributed much but it was not expected to after an ordinary batting effort earlier in the innings.