Cricket: Australian and Pakistani under-19s vie for hat-trick

Australia and Pakistan will aim to become the first nation to win cricket's under-19 World Cup three times when they meet in the final near Christchurch today.

Australia took the trophy in 1988 and 2002 while Pakistan won back-to-back titles in 2004 and 2006.

Overall bragging rights will be on the line at Lincoln's Bert Sutcliffe Oval.

Fourth-seeds Pakistan are the only unbeaten side at this tournament, having won their matches against the West Indies (40 runs), Papua New Guinea (six wickets), Bangladesh (four wickets) in the group stage before overpowering defending champion India by two wickets in the quarter-final and the West Indies in the semifinal by four wickets.

Sixth seeds Australia lost their group stage match against South Africa by two wickets but have since recorded comfortable wins over the United States (108 runs), Ireland (209 runs) and New Zealand (62 runs) before ending the challenge of Sri Lanka in the semifinal by two wickets.

Pakistan captain Azeem Ghumman said his team were quietly confident.

"We have been together as a team now for a long time and this is a big factor in the way we are playing," he said. "The important thing for us is that we have to get through the first 10 or 15 overs."

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh said, "If we can go out there and do the basics better than Pakistan, I think things might go our way."

- NZPA