Women's Under-19 World Cup wrap: India defeat England to capture World Cup crown

India's bowlers, led by Titas Sadhu's 2 for 6, had England all out for 68 before Gongadi Trisha (24) and Soumya Tiwari (24 not out) steered their side home

Potchefstroom: England 68, India 69-3 - India won by seven wickets

India are the inaugural Under-19s Women's T20 World Cup champions after defeating England by seven wickets in Potchefstroom.

The victory was set up by the bowlers, led by seamer Titas Sadhu, who dismissed England for just 68 runs.

In reply, despite a valiant effort from England's bowlers, notably Hannah Baker (1 for 13), India secured the win with six overs to spare, sparking wild celebrations.

Batting first, England were in considerable trouble inside the powerplay. Sadhu struck with the fourth delivery of the final to remove Liberty Heap (0) caught and bowled before Archana Devi accounted for Niamh Holland and Grace Scrivens – courtesy of a fantastic catch from Gongadi Trisha - in the space of four deliveries to reduce the batting side to 16 for 3 after four overs.

It could have been even worse had Richa Ghosh held onto a diving catch (or let it go through to the fielder at first slip) to remove Ryana MacDonald-Gay for nought in the fifth. As it was, England made it to the end of the powerplay without further incident: 22 for 3 after six overs.

^{Gongadi Trisha takes the catch to remove Grace Scrivens (ICC)}

It was a remarkably similar scenario to their semi-final against Australia on Friday, when they found themselves 28 for 4 after six overs, and later 45 for 7, before fighting back to set their opponents 100 to win.

However, where Australia were perhaps guilty of taking their foot off England's throat, India did not lower their intensity with the ball.

Sadhu collected her second within two balls of the powerplay's conclusion, bowling Seren Smale for 3, before a 17-run stand between MacDonald-Gay and Charis Pavely offered a brief moment of respite.

However, Pavely's departure on the stroke of drinks – adjudged lbw while attempting to sweep Parshavi Chopra – triggered another flurry of wickets for England, who slipped from 39 for 4 to 53 for 8 in a little over four overs.

MacDonald-Gay, who top-scored for England with 19 (24), was removed by Chopra thanks to a fine catch from Devi, Josie Groves was run out by a direct hit was Soumya Tiwari while running a rather casual single, and Baker was stumped by Ghosh after stepping forward to meet Shafali Verma’s delivery. The Central Sparks bowler was centimetres out of her ground.

^{Archana Devi celebrated the wicket of Niamh Holland (ICC)}

Sophia Smale gave her fans something to cheer, dispatching a couple of boundaries during her cameo with the bat, but it merely staved off the inevitable as England were all out for 68 in 17.1 overs. Sonam Yadav had a hand in the final two wickets to fall, taking the catch off Manat Mashyap to remove Alexa Stonehouse before dismissing Sophia Smale (11) caught and bowled.  

Sadhu was the pick of India's bowlers, taking 2 for 6 from her four overs, while Devi (2 for 17) and Chopra (2 for 13) took two wickets apiece. Kashyap, Verma and Yadav were also among the wickets.

India had a wobble of their own in the powerplay. Opening the bowling, Baker struck in the third over to remove Verma for 15 (11) - Stonehouse diving to her left to take the catch – before holding onto a skied edge from Shweta Sehrawat (bowled Scrivens) to reduce India to 20 for 2. 

It proved to be little more than a hiccup, however, with Tiwari and Trisha putting on 46 runs for the third wicket to carry India to the brink of victory.

Stonehouse put the celebrations on ice, bowling Trisha (24) when just three runs were required, but Tiwari sealed the win in the 14th over, finishing unbeaten on 24 (37).