Mirpur, Bangladesh (ICC) — West Indies are under-19 world champions for the first time.

An unbeaten half-century from Keacy Carty and a fiery bowling performance from Alzarri Joseph and Ryan John fired the Caribbean side to a five-wicket win over India in Mirpur yesterday.

Unbeaten in the tournament, India were bowled out for 145 in 45.1 overs, with Joseph taking three for 39, while his fellow quick, John, took three for 38.

Joseph, John and Chemar Holder shone on a spicy, moisture-laden pitch, with Sarfaraz Khan providing the only real resistance for India with 51, his fifth half-century in six matches.

West Indies slipped to 77 for five in reply against the steady India attack before Carty, who was unbeaten on 52, and Keemo Paul, who finished on 40 not out, put on 69 to steer their team home with three balls to spare.

“We were not supposed to be the champions, but we did it,” Shimron Hetmyer, the West Indies captain, said. “I feel good, words can’t explain how good I feel. The way the guys played showed how much we wanted to win the tournament.

“The pace bowlers used the pitch to their advantage and helped each other to keep the pressure on the Indians. Coming from the Caribbean, we did not expect such pitches in Bangladesh.

“I am delighted for both Carty and Paul. They are aggressive players but they adjusted to the situation and kept a calm head.”

India, meanwhile, were left to wonder what might have been after their fielding let them down, with both Carty and Paul were dropped at vital moments.

Sarfaraz put Paul down when the batsman was on ten and Carty was dropped by Rishabh Pant, the India wicketkeeper, on 35. Mayank Dagar was the unlucky bowler on both occasions.

It was only the second defeat for India in the past 22 matches.

“I feel sad today because we wanted to win badly,” Ishan Kishan, the India captain, said. “It was not easy to bat out there in the morning because their fast bowlers really used the conditions well.

“We needed partnerships, which did not happen. I thought our bowlers did well but our fielding let us down, including some dropped catches. We certainly should have fielded better.”

After winning the toss and electing to field, West Indies got off to the perfect start when Joseph ripped through the top order in sensational fashion. Pant, Anmolpreet Singh and Kishan were all dismissed in his first four overs.

From 27 for three, India slipped to 50 for five in the eighteenth over as Washington Sundar and Armaan Jaffer were caught off mistimed drives.

Hetymer bowled out Joseph’s ten overs by the 27th, at which stage India had managed just 84 runs for the loss of five wickets.

Holder, on the other hand, kept one end tight, conceding just 15 runs in his opening spell of eight overs.

When Holder returned for his second stint in the 30th over, he struck with the first ball to break a 37-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Sarfaraz and Mahipal Lomror.

Sarfaraz was eighth out when the total was 120 in the 39th over, leg-before as he missed an attempted pull off John.

India were down to 123 for nine before Rahul Batham and Khaleel Ahmed added 22 valuable runs for the last wicket.

West Indies began their reply badly, losing openers Gidron Pope and Tevin Imlach by the eighth over with the score at 28.

Carty and Hetmyer carried the total to 67 for two when Dagar, the left-arm spinner, turned the game around with three wickets, removing Hetmyer, Shamar Springer and Jyd Golie for the addition of just ten runs.

However, Carty and Paul curbed their natural aggressive instincts to calmly turn the final their team’s way again.