India defeated the USA by six wickets thanks to a brutal bowling display led by Henil Patel, who claimed an outstanding five wickets in Thursday’s rain-soaked ICC Under-19 World Cup opening in Bulawayo.
After India chose to bowl in cloudy conditions, the right-arm seamer ripped through the middle order of the USA, finishing with figures of 5/16 from seven overs with one maiden.
USA were dismissed for a pitiful 107 in 35.2 overs. After rain halted play, India’s target was revised to 96 in 37 overs, with a score of 21 for one in four overs.
Abhigyan Kundu (42 not out off 41 balls) then led the team home with 118 balls left under the DLS method. Rain delayed India’s pursuit, but when play resumed, 14-year-old batting star Vaibhav Suryavanshi (2) was bowled in the third over by Ritvik Appidi (2/24 in 5 overs).
Before the batter came down the wicket and got an inside edge onto the stumps, Appidi cramped Suryavanshi for space with a length delivery. By that point, skipper Ayush Mhatre had scored two boundaries and appeared assured until another interruption due to rain.
India just needed 87 runs in 46 overs at that point in the game, but when play resumed following a protracted break, the DLS method altered the equation. When play resumed, India quickly lost Mhatre (19) and Vedant Trivedi (2) before vice-captain Vihaan Malhotra was dismissed for 18.
Earlier, Henil struck in his first over, forcing an edge from Amrinder Gill (1) to Malhotra in the slips before the towering tearaway pacer Deepesh Devendran joined in by having Henil catch Sahil Garg (16) at third man to reduce USA to 29/2 in nine overs.
Then, as the USA fell to 35/4, Henil took control of the innings with a devastating double blow, dismissing wicketkeeper Arjun Mahesh (16) in the same over after bowling skipper Utkarsh Srivastava for a five-ball duck.
The USA was never able to recover as he struck once more, drawing a weak drive from Mahesh that went to third man for his third wicket.
Leg-spinner Khilan Patel made an instant impact on his introduction, dismissing Amogh Arepally (3) as USA slumped to 39/5 in the 16th over. Nitish Sudini then showed some fight with a counter-attacking 36 off 52 balls, hitting four boundaries and sharing a 30-run stand with Adnit Jhamb (18) for the sixth wicket to push USA beyond the 50-run mark.
Henil came back to mop up the tail, bowling Rishabh Shimpi (0) and Sabrish Prasad (7) to clinch his five-for, as the USA were dismissed in 35.2 overs
India, Bangladesh and New Zealand are all in Group B.
