Guwahati: Defending champions India secured their second consecutive ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup title with a dominant nine-wicket victory over South Africa on Sunday.
Trisha Gongadi delivered an impressive all-round performance as India, led by Niki Prasad, retained their U19 Women’s T20 World Cup crown at the Bayuemas Oval. India’s spinners were exceptional, taking nine wickets—three of those by Trisha—and fielders contributed significantly, restricting South Africa to just 82 on a sluggish pitch.
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In their pursuit of the target, Trisha scored an unbeaten 44 off 33 balls, while Sanika Chalke added 26 off 22 balls. India completed the chase in 11.2 overs, securing the title for a second consecutive year after their 2023 victory in Potchefstroom, South Africa.
India’s back-to-back triumphs in the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup highlighted the gap between them and other teams at this level, as they also became the first team to win the title without losing a match.
Chasing a target of 83, India got off to a strong start with Trisha edging a wide ball for four. She then struck Fay Cowling’s deliveries over the covers for back-to-back fours. G Kamalini followed up by clearing mid-on with ease, hitting her first boundary of the final.
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Trisha particularly enjoyed facing Seshnie Naidu’s leg-spin, cutting a ball between cover and point, then swinging a full toss over fine leg for three boundaries, as India raced to 36 without loss in just four overs.
Kamalini fell for eight in the fifth over, trying to clear the boundary but ending up hitting the ball to long-on. After Sanika Chalke got off the mark with a brilliant drive through cover and mid-off, Trisha played a delightful shot between deep mid-wicket and long-on for another four.
Sanika’s powerful shot over Ashleigh van Wyk’s head, which beat a diving long-off fielder, brought India within 25 runs of victory. The pair carefully rotated the strike before Sanika’s shot to Jemma Botha brought them closer.
Trisha then guided Jemma’s delivery past the keeper for four, and Sanika finished the chase with a square-leg boundary off Monalisa, securing the winning runs for India.