The eagerly-awaited Under-19 Cricket World Cup final between India and Australia takes place on Sunday 11 February at Willowmoore Park in Benoni. Both teams defeated hosts South Africa and Pakistan in hard-fought semi-finals to book their places in the grand final. The match kicks off at 10:00 local time (SAST) and is free for all fans. 

India beat hosts South Africa by two wickets in a tense encounter last Tuesday to book their place in the final. Chasing 245 to win, India fought back from 32 for four to seal a memorable victory. A brilliant partnership between Sachin Dhas and captain Uday Saharan sealed the victory. 

The second semi-final was played last Thursday and also provided fans with plenty of excitement and suspense. Australia beat Pakistan by one wicket in the final over of the match. After bowling out Pakistan for a seemingly low total of 179, Australia stumbled in their chase. However, their middle and lower order formed crucial partnerships to take them home in thrilling fashion.

India and Australia go into the final undefeated, having topped their respective groups in both the early stages and the Super Sixes. They also boast some of the world's brightest young talents. Captains Uday Saharan of India and Hugh Weibgen of Australia are among the shining stars of the competition. Both are desperate to win on Sunday and lift the trophy. 

India captain Uday Saharan, speaking ahead of the final, said: "As we approach the World Cup final, we carry the dreams of a billion hearts on our shoulders. Our journey has been a testament to our hard work, unity and love for the game. We want to leave a legacy in this final that will inspire the next generation. It's not just a game. It's a chance to make history." 

"We played with passion, determination and the belief that we could bring the title home from the very first game. It won't be any different in the final against Australia, as we move one step closer to successfully defending our title. Together, as one team, as one nation, we march into the final ready to seize our moment and make India proud," he added. Expressing his pride as captain, Uday Saharan said: "I couldn't have asked for more from my team as we stand on the brink of history." 

Australian captain Hugh Weibgen echoed these sentiments: "We are delighted to have reached the final after a close game against Pakistan. We can't wait to play India in the final on Sunday. The whole team has done a great job throughout the tournament and it would mean a lot to us as a group to lift the trophy on Sunday.

This is an opportunity to make our coaches, family and friends extremely proud. They have helped and supported us along the way. India have obviously had an outstanding tournament so far. They are a quality team. We expect them to give challenge us and we are looking forward to it. 

The two teams know each other well. They have met twice before in the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup final. On both occasions, India emerged victorious in 2012 and 2018. The match officials for Sunday's final have also been confirmed. Allahudien Palekar and Langton Rusere have been named as on-field umpires. Rashid Riaz will be the television referee, while Roland Black will be the fourth official and Shaid Wadvalla will be the match referee.

Fans in Benoni who want to see the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2024 champions crowned will be able to attend the final on Sunday for free. The atmosphere will be spectacular. There will be a vibrant, festive atmosphere with live music. All to frame an unforgettable display of cricket.

Fans in India can watch on Star Sports 1 and Disney+ Hotstar. Free coverage will be available on Doordarshan. In Australia, there will be live coverage on Prime Video across all devices. In host country South Africa, SuperSport Cricket will present live coverage. This will be extended to sub-Saharan Africa.

CricLife Max and Starzplay will provide coverage in the MENA region. In the UK, the match will be shown on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event, with additional live coverage on Willow (USA & Canada), ESPN Caribbean (Caribbean) and Sky Sport 2 in New Zealand. The final will be shown live and free on ICC.tv in all other territories.

The ICC U-19 Men's Cricket World Cup is an international tournament organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It was first held in 1988 as the Youth Cricket World Cup. It was not held again until 1998. Since then it has been held every two years and is organised by the ICC, with the first edition featuring just eight participants. 

16 teams have participated in each of the subsequent editions. Among the full members, India have a record five World Cup titles, Australia three, Pakistan two and Bangladesh, England, South Africa and West Indies have all had one.

Winners of the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup:

1988 Australia 

1998: England. 

2000: India. 

2002: Australia (2). 

2004: Pakistan. 

2006: Pakistan (2). 

2008: India (2). 

2010: Australia (3). 

2012: India (3). 

2014: South Africa. 

2016: West Indies. 

2018: India (4). 

2020: Bangladesh. 

2022: India (5). 

2024: -