Sports: Indian U19 cricket team survived a late scare in the third youth ODI against Australia to clinch a 3-0 win in Puducherry on Thursday. India completed a clean sweep after recording a 7-run win while defending a record 324 runs in the last match.

Australia almost pulled off a stunning chase with captain Oliver Peake and rising star Steven Hogan smashing brilliant centuries each but India survived a late scare. Both teams scorched 641 runs in the third match to set the fourth-highest match aggregate total in youth ODIs and the highest involving two teams. 

The previous highest match aggregate score between India and Australia U19 teams came in 1994 when both teams scored a total of 588 runs in Vadodara. 

Highest match aggregate in youth ODIs

1. 714 runs - Australia U19 vs West Indies U19, Visakhapatnam in 2011
2. 690 runs - England U19 vs Sri Lanka U19, Hove in 2024
3. 642 runs - Afghanistan U19 vs Sri Lanka U19, Tolerance Oval in 2023
4. 641 runs - India U19 vs Australia U19, Puducherry in 2024
5. 634 runs - India U19 vs West Indies U19, Sharjah in 2014

Meanwhile, India managed to register their highest-ever total at home in youth ODIs. Captain Mohamed Aman scored 71 runs off 72 balls and opener Rudra Patel top-scored with 77 runs off 81 balls to help India U19 score 324 for 8 in 50 overs while batting first at Cricket Association Pondicherry Siechem Ground. Aidan O'Connor took four wickets for Australia but conceded 84 runs in his 10 overs to set a new low for the most runs conceded in a youth ODI match by an Australian bowler. 

India U19 playing XI: Sahil Parakh, Rudra Patel, Harvansh Pangalia (WK), Mohamed Amaan (C), Kiran Chormale, KP Karthikeya, Nikhil Kumar, Hardik Raj, Chetan Sharma, Rohit Rajawat, Yudhajit Guha.

Australia U19 playing XI: Simon Budge, Zac Curtain, Oliver Peake (C), Steven Hogan, Alex Lee Young (WK), Christain Howe, Aidan O'Connor, Ollie Patterson, Thomas Brown, Lachlan Ranaldo, Harry Hoekstra.