Young Spinners Shine as India Begins World Cup Campaign with Style
Bulawayo: India’s junior cricket team has kicked off their 2026 World Cup journey with a bang. In a match interrupted by rain and bad light, the Boys in Blue secured a convincing 6-wicket victory over the USA Under-19 team at Bulawayo on Thursday.
Henil Patel Spins a Web
Winning the toss, the USA team decided to bat first, but they likely regretted that choice very quickly. Indian bowler Henil Patel turned out to be the nightmare for the American batters. He delivered a magical spell, picking up 5 wickets while giving away just 16 runs in his 7 overs.
The USA batting lineup crumbled under pressure. While Nitish Sudini tried to fight back with a score of 36, the rest of the team could not stand their ground. The USA side was bowled out for a meager total of 107 runs in 35.2 overs. Other Indian bowlers like Deepesh Devendran and Khilan Patel also chipped in with a wicket each to support Henil.
Rain Interruption and the Chase
Chasing the target was not entirely smooth sailing for India. Rain and wet ground conditions forced the match officials to apply the DLS method, revising India’s target to 96 runs in 37 overs.
Early in the innings, India looked a bit shaky. They lost quick wickets and were struggling at 25 for 3. It seemed for a moment that the USA bowlers, led by Ritvik Appidi, might pull off a miracle.
Kundu Steadies the Ship
However, wicketkeeper-batter Abhigyan Kundu had other plans. He played a mature and aggressive innings, scoring an unbeaten 42 off just 41 balls. He smashed 5 boundaries and a six to take the pressure off. Along with Kanishk Chouhan, who remained not out on 10, Kundu guided India across the finish line comfortably.
India reached 99/4 in just 17.2 overs, winning with plenty of balls to spare. This victory in the India U19 vs USA U19 encounter gives the team crucial points in Group B as they look to dominate the tournament.
