Home
Saumy Pandey's bowling blitzkrieg and Adarsh Singh's exceptional 76-run knock propelled India to an 84-run victory over Bangladesh in their opening match of the U-19 World Cup 2024 on January 20. After setting a target of 252 on a tough pitch at Mangaung Oval, India secured a convincing victory by bowling out Bangladesh for a paltry 167, thereby avenging their Asia Cup loss.
In pursuit of 252, Bangladesh began solidly, amassing 33 runs in the first 6 overs. The game's momentum shifted when Murugan Abhishek took an exceptional catch, leading to a phase where Saumy Pandey snatched two wickets in back-to-back overs, leaving Bangladesh reeling at 41 for 3 by the end of the first powerplay. The situation deteriorated further when Arshin Kulkarni lbw'd Ahrar Amin in the 15th over, reducing Bangladesh to 50/4.
Nonetheless, a determined partnership emerged between Mohammad Shihab James (54) and Ariful Islam, compiling a notable 77-run stand. Despite their valiant effort, the increasing required run rate started to pressure the Bangladeshi batsmen. It was then Musheer Khan's turn to dismiss both set players, and the Bangladesh lower order couldn't muster a strong comeback. Saumy Pandey rounded off the match with a remarkable four-wicket haul, leading to a tough defeat for Bangladesh.
Earlier, openers Adarsh Singh and captain Uday Saharan hit determined half-centuries, guiding India to a challenging total of 251/7 against a resilient Bangladesh side.. Bangladesh's left-arm pacer Maruf Mridha left a significant mark on the game, securing 5 wickets for 43 runs. He bowled with precision both at the start and in the final overs, consistently targeting the right areas. A decision by his captain, however, prevented him from bowling his full 10 overs, which might have been a disappointment for him.
Despite Maruf's notable bowling effort, the Indian batters struggled to find boundaries. The set target of 251, being the third highest at the venue, seemed competitive, especially considering the average Youth ODI score of 201 at the ground. The highest successful run chase recorded there is 243.
Maruf, whose action is reminiscent of Mustafizur Rahman, effectively used a mix of lengths, cutters, and wide yorkers to trouble the Indian batsmen. The foundation of the innings was established by Adarsh (76 off 96 balls) and captain Saharan (64 off 94 balls), who put together a vital 116-run stand for the third wicket across nearly 24 overs. Though they initially struggled against Bangladesh's spinners, they managed to stabilise the innings.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
