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Uday Saharan-led India registered their third consecutive win in the ongoing South Africa Under-19 Tri-series. In preparation for Under-19 World Cup 2024, Indian bowlers wreaked havoc in Johannesburg to bowl out Afghanistan for 88. Rajasthan Royals' net bowler Naman Tiwari turned out to be the wrecker-in-chief as he picked up four wickets from seven overs while conceding just 11 runs. Indian top-order batters made short work of the run chase as they won the match by nine wickets with 37.5 overs to spare.
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After Saharan won the toss and opted to field first, Tiwarai struck with the third ball he faced. Hassan Eisakhil departed for a three-ball duck. In the fifth over, Tiwari got the wicket of Jamshid Zadran. In the next over, opener Usman Khan Shiwari and captain Numan Shah got bowled by Dhanush Gowda.
After losing four wickets for just eight runs, Sohil Khan Zurmatai and Rahimullah Zurmati tried to steady the ship. Aaradhya Shukla broke the partnership in the 15th over. Zurmati scored 11 runs from 18 balls including a boundary. Zurmatai and Nasir Hassan went on a blockathon. They shared a 38-run partnership from 87 balls.
Off-spinner Priyanshu Moliya got the breakthrough in the 29th over. Zurmati departed after scoring 21 runs from 66 balls including a couple of fours. Hassan fell to Moliya as well. He was the top-scorer for Afghanistan with 31 runs from 68 balls including two fours.
Faridoon Dawoodzai looked to score quickly but got lbw to Aaradhya Shukla. Then Tiwari mopped up the tail in the 33rd over with the wickets of tailenders Arab Gul Momamd and Allah Ghazanfar as Afghanistan were bowled out for 88.
India's run chase got off to a good start. Innesh Mahajan hit Zahid Afghan for two boundaries in the second over. In the next over, Adarsh took on Dawoodzai and hit him for a six and two fours. Ghazanfar broke the opening partnership with the wicket of Mahajan who scored 16 runs from 15 balls.
Musheer attacked Afghan from the start and hit him for three boundaries in the seventh over. Adarsh continued to attack. On the first ball of the 13th over, he hit a boundary to reach his half-century from just 39 balls and guide India to a nine-wicket win.
India have already qualified for the final of the tri-nation series which will be played on January 10. Before the final, India will go up against the hosts on January 6.
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