India’s young middle-order batsman Vihaan Malhotra showcased remarkable composure as he rediscovered his touch and crafted a brilliant century, while Abhigyan Kundu continued his impressive form as India secured a dominant 204-run victory over Zimbabwe in their first Super Six match of the U-19 World Cup.
The Indian team, coming off a flawless group stage performance where they convincingly defeated the USA, Bangladesh, and New Zealand, maintained their aggressive style of play to post a massive total of 352 for 8.
Malhotra played a pivotal role in the innings with his cautious yet confident unbeaten knock of 109 runs, while Kundu contributed a fluent 61, putting the Zimbabwe bowlers under immense pressure.
India’s pace bowling duo of RS Ambrish and Henil Patel further asserted their dominance by picking up early wickets, reducing Zimbabwe to 24 for 3 within the first nine overs.
Zimbabwe struggled to build partnerships and were eventually bowled out for 148 in 37.4 overs, giving India a strong start in the Super Six stage of the tournament.
With this victory, India now sits at the top of Group 2 in the Super Six with six points. Skipper Ayush Mhatre played a key role in dismantling the Zimbabwean batting lineup with his off-breaks, supported by left-arm seamer Udhav Mohan.
India’s batting display was led by Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who scored a quickfire 52 off 30 balls. Despite a minor hiccup losing wickets in the middle overs, Malhotra and Kundu steadied the ship with a composed partnership, guiding India to a commanding total.
Zimbabwe’s bowlers struggled to contain the Indian batsmen, with Malhotra and Kundu rotating the strike effectively to build a substantial fifth-wicket partnership. Kundu’s consistency with the bat was once again on display as he reached his second half-century of the tournament.
Malhotra’s return to form is a positive sign for India, providing them with a reliable middle-order batsman. He also contributed crucial partnerships with the lower order to push India past the 350-run mark.
In their chase, Zimbabwe found it difficult to accelerate the scoring rate after losing early wickets, with India’s bowlers maintaining a tight grip on the game. Despite efforts from Kian Blignaut and Leeroy Chiwaula, Zimbabwe fell short of the target by a significant margin.
Overall, India’s comprehensive victory showcased their strength in all departments, setting the tone for a successful Super Six campaign in the U-19 World Cup.
Brief scores: India 352 for 8 in 50 overs beat Zimbabwe 148 in 37.4 overs by 204 runs.
