Kuala Lumpur, Feb 2: Trisha Gongadi put out a sparkling all-round performance as a dominant India retained their U19 Women’s T20 World Cup title with a nine-wicket win over South Africa in the final at the Bayuemas Oval on Sunday.

A stellar bowling performance, with the spinners taking nine wickets – three of which went to Trisha – along with fielders stepping up nicely helped Niki Prasad-led India apply the squeeze on South Africa and bowl them out for 82 on a slow pitch.

In the chase, Trisha made 44 not out off 33 balls while Sanika Chalke slammed an unbeaten 26 off 22 deliveries to help India complete the chase in 11.2 overs to clinch the title yet again after winning it in 2023 in Potchefstroom, South Africa.

India’s second successive triumph in the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup yet again showed the gulf that exists between them and teams of other nations at the U19 women’s level, as they also became the first side to win the title without losing any game.

Chasing 83, India got going with Trisha edging wide of the keeper for four Nthabiseng Nini. She then thumped Fay Cowling over covers twice for fours, before G Kamalini began by clearing mid-on with ease off Kayla Reyneke for her first boundary of the final.

Trisha took a special liking to Seshnie Naidu’s leg-spin by rocking back to cut between cover and point, steering past short third region and swinging the full toss over fine leg to collect three fours, as India reached 36 for nil in just four overs.

Kamalini fell for eight in the fifth over when she stepped out to hit Kayla over the boundary ropes, but ended up hitting to long-on. After Sanika Chalke was off the mark with a magnificent drive between cover and mid-off, Trisha bisected the gap between deep mid-wicket and long-on for four more.

With Sanika hammering one over Ashleigh van Wyk’s head and beating a valiant dive from long-off to get another boundary, it brought India just 25 runs away from reaching the target. The duo took their time and rotated the strike well, before Sanika clipped Jemma Botha for four.

Trisha steered Jemma past the keeper for four, and was followed by Sanika heaving Monalisa for a boundary to the square leg to get the winning runs for India.

Previously, apart from Trisha’s three-fer, left-arm spin trio of Parunika Sisodia, Aayushi Shukla and Vaishnavi Sharma picked two wickets each while fast-bowler Shabnam Shakil took a scalp. Vaishnavi’s tally of wickets now stands at 17, which also made her the top wicket-taker of the tournament.

Electing to bat first, Jemma Botha took two boundaries off Joshitha VJ in a ten-run opening over. But India got a breakthrough in the next over as Parunika got some drift to castle Simone Lourens for a duck.

Under pressure to break a string of dot balls, Jemma went for a cross-bat heave, but ended up getting a thick edge and was caught by Kamalini taking it one-handed while moving to her right off Shabnam’s bowling. Aayushi joined the wicket-taker’s list by dismissing Diara Ramlakan, as South Africa were reeling 29-3 at the end of the powerplay.

With runs drying up, India built up the pressure with relentless dot balls. South Africa skipper Kayla tried to release some pressure with a big loft, but holed out to long-off and gave Trisha her first wicket of the final. Aayushi got her second scalp by rattling Karabo Meso’s middle stump with a fuller delivery to leave South Africa at 44/5 in 12.4 overs.

Fay Cowling and Mieke van Voorst shared a 30-run partnership to bring South Africa’s innings back on track, but Trisha had the latter and Seshnie Naidu out in quick succession to all but ensure South Africa won’t reach the three-figure mark.

Vaishnavi castled Fay and Monalisa Legodi, before Parunika had Ashleigh van Wyk caught out on last ball of the innings as South Africa posted a total that was too low to defend against a top-class Indian batting.

Brief Scores: South Africa 82 all out (Mieke van Voorst 23, Fay Cowling 15; Trisha Gongadi 3-15, Parunika Sisodia 2-6) lost to India 84/1 in 11.2 overs (Trisha Gongadi 44 not out, Sanika Chalke 26 not out; Kayla Reyneke 1-14) by 9 wickets.

(IANS)

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