Mount Maunganui: The Indian U-19 team continued with their dominance in the ongoing U-19 World Cup as they thrashed Zimbabwe by 10 wickets to notch up their third consecutive win in the competition and qualify for the Super League quarter-finals on Friday.
Batting first, Zimbabwe were never in control of their innings as they lost wickets at regular intervals. Anukul Roy, who had taken a five-wicket haul in the previous match grabbed the limelight once again as his figures of 4/20 completely rattled the Zimbabwean batting. Left-arm pacer Arshdip Singh and left-arm spinner Abhishek Sharma took two wickets apiece as they restricted Zimbabwe’s effort to just 154 in 48.1 overs.
For Zimbabwe, the left-handed Milton Shumba scored 36 while skipper Liam Roche scored 31 and Wesley Madhevere 30.
The 2008 champions in reply cruised to the target in just 21.4 overs with Shubman Gill leading the way with an unbeaten 90. India, sent Gill and wicket-keeper batsman Harvik Desai as openers for the match as the duo didn’t disappoint at all. The right-handed Gill hit a total of 14 fours and one six in his 59-ball knock and Desai scored 56* from 73 balls with eight fours and one six as India finished at the top of Group B and qualify for the Super League semi-finals.
In another Group B clash, Australia decimated Papua New Guinea by a massive margin of 311 runs to finish second behind India and progress to the Super League quarter-finals.
After being asked to bat first, Australia piled up a huge total of 370/8. Opener Nathan McSweeney pummeled the PNG bowlers as he scored a 111-ball 156 which comprised of 18 fours and four sixes as he registered the sixth-highest individual score in U-19 World Cup history.
McSweeney also shared a 250-run second wicket stand with skipper Jason Sangha (88) as they scored 370 runs. Param Uppal also scored 61 runs of 42 balls.
If it was McSweeney who deserved praise for Australia’s stupendous batting effort, it was Jason Ralston who created history as he took seven wickets for 15 runs-the best ever bowling figure in the U-19 World Cup as PNG were skittled out for just 59 runs. Ralston became only the third bowler in the history of the competition to finish with seven wickets after Trent Boult’s 7/20 against Malaysia in 2008 and Ajantha Mendis’ 7/19 against Zimbabwe in 2002.
Leke Morea was the top-scorer for PNG with 20 runs.
In Whangarei, Pakistan outplayed Sri Lanka by three wickets to advance to the super league quarter-finals in a group D clash.
Sri Lanka, batting first were reduced to 55/4 at one stage after left-arm speedster Shaheen Afridi and Arshad Iqbal took three wickets among themselves. But a defiant 53 from Jehan Daniel and Ashen Bandara’s 37 resurrected the innings to some extent before they were eventually bowled out for 188 in 48.2 overs after Suleman Shafquat’s 3/29.
But the Pakistani batsmen failed to capitalise on good starts and their chase was anchored by Ali Zaryab Asif’s 59 as they won the contest with 6.3 overs left. Mohammad Zaid Alam (28) and Muhammad Taha (24) also chipped in.
Brief scores-
India U-19 155/0 in 21.4 overs (Shubman Gill 90*, Aveek Desai 56*; Milton Shumba 0/3) beat Zimbabwe U-19 154 all out in 48.1 overs Milton Shumba 36, Liam Roche 31; by 10 wickets.
Lincoln: Papua New Guinea U-19 59 all out in 24.5 overs (Leke Morea 20, Heagi Toua 6; Jason Ralston 7/15) lost to Australia U-19 370/8 ( Nathan McSweeney 156, Jason Sangha 88; James Tau 2/42) by 311 runs.
Whangarei: Pakistan U-19 190/7 in 43.3 overs (Ali Zaryab 59, Mohammad Zaid 28; Thisaru Rashmika 3/47) beat Sri Lanka U-19 188 all out in 48.2 overs (Jehan Daniel 53, Ashen Bandara 37; Suleman Shafquat 3/29) by 3 wickets.