HARARE: In a dominant batting display, India Under-19 posted an impressive score of 352 runs in their first innings against Zimbabwe Under-19 during the 32nd match of the ICC U19 World Cup on Tuesday night.
Asked to bat first, India Under-19 capitalized on favorable conditions after Zimbabwe Under-19 chose to bowl. However, this strategy backfired as India Under-19 adopted a proactive approach in their U19 Super Six clash, turning the match around convincingly.
India’s innings was spearheaded by exceptional batting performances from Vihaan Manoj Malhotra, Abhigyan Abhishek Kundu, and Vaibhav Sooryanvanshi. Together, they scored 222 runs, with Malhotra scoring a magnificent 109 off 107 balls, including seven boundaries. Kundu added 61 runs from 62 deliveries, featuring five fours and a six, while Vaibhav put on a blistering performance of 52 off just 30 balls, hitting four fours and four sixes.
In their reply, Zimbabwe Under-19 faced an uphill task from the start. The target proved challenging early on when they lost wickets within the first 15 overs, reducing to 45/3. Kian Hendrik Bignaut and Leeroy Munashe Chiwala were tasked with stabilizing the innings under immense pressure. As the required run rate increased rapidly, Zimbabwe Under-19 found themselves in a formidable predicament as they attempted to chase down the daunting total.
The Indian batting lineup included Adarsh Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, Musheer Khan, Uday Saharan, Sachin Dhas, Aravelly Avanish (wk), Naman Tiwari, Saumy Pandey, Raj Limbani, Murugan Abhishek, and Dhanush Gowda. On the Zimbabwe side, Kian Hendrik Bignaut and Leeroy Munashe Chiwala were set as wicket-keepers, while Brandon Ivanescu Senzere (c) and L. M. Chivhuwa also played a role in their lineup.