Left-handed batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal starred with the bat following a disciplined show from the bowlers, propelled India into their third successive Under-19 World Cup final. Chasing a moderate target of 172 runs, India sailed home with 10 wickets in hand at  Senwes Park in Potchefstroom.

Batting first, Pakistan suffered early jolts as pacer Sushant Misra and leg spinner Ravi Bishnoi posed tough questions. They were at 36 for two at the end of the powerful before Haider Ali then joined hands with skipper Rohail Nazir to bail the innings. The pair put on a 62-run stand for the third wicket, rebuilding their challenge after the early setbacks.

India skipper Priyam Garg resorted to the part-time spin of Yashasvi Jaiswal who provided a breakthrough in his third delivery sending back Ali for 56 off 77. Since then, it was one-way traffic for India as Misra and Karthik Tyagi ran down the Pakistan batting. Misra ended with three for 28 while Tyagi returned with figures of two for 32 to bowl out Pakistan to 172.

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In pursuit, India made the run chase look easy than it was. Although Pakistan bowlers put some serious questions with the new ball but failed to pick a wicket. Yashasvi Jaiswal, in particular, looked iffy at the start but the openers saw through the testing opening spells. Saxena took the pressure off his partner, and once Jaiswal got his confidence and some runs, there was no looking back from there.

The young batting prodigy from Mumbai remained unbeaten on 105 runs from 113 deliveries including eight boundaries and four sixes while Divyansh Saxena finished unbeaten on 59. The opening pair overhauled the target without being separated, and off the second ball of the 36th over. Social media platforms were on fire as India strolled to finals convincingly.

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