Ayush Mhatre-led India registered a thrilling 18-run win over Bangladesh after the second innings was reduced to 29 overs due to rain in the seventh match of the ongoing ICC U19 World Cup 2026 on Saturday.
With this victory, India notched up their second consecutive win in the tournament. Earlier, the Mhatre-led side had defeated the USA in their opening fixture.
For his superb bowling performance, India’s Vihaan Malhotra was named Player of the Match.
Bangladesh began their chase on a poor note, losing opener Zawad Abrar for just five runs in the very first over. Abrar was dismissed by Deepesh Devendran.
MD Rifat Beg and Md Azizul Hakim Tamim then stabilised the innings as Bangladesh reached 30/1 in four overs. At the end of 10 overs, the score read 54/1.
On the fifth ball of the 12th over, Kanishk Chouhan removed Rifat Beg for a run-a-ball 37, which included four boundaries and a six. Rain interrupted play during the 18th over, and the match was reduced to a 29-over contest, with Bangladesh set a revised target of 165 via the DLS method.
After the resumption, Bangladesh crossed the 100-run mark in the 20th over. Vihaan Malhotra struck again, dismissing Kalam Siddiki Aleen for 15 on the second ball of the 22nd over.
Azizul Hakim Tamim brought up his fifty off 70 deliveries on the first ball of the 24th over. However, Malhotra removed Sheikh Paevez Jibon for seven on the fifth delivery of the same over, leaving Bangladesh at 125/4.
Khilan Patel then claimed the key wicket of Tamim for 51 in the very next over. Following his dismissal, Bangladesh collapsed, losing Samiun Basir Ratul (2), Farid Hasan Faysal (1), Al Fahad (0) and Md Rizan Hossan (15) in quick succession to slump to 146/9 in 28 overs.
Henil Patel dismissed the final batter, Iqbal Hossain Emon (2), as India sealed a thrilling 18-run victory in the rain-affected encounter.
Bangladesh were bowled out for 146 in 28.3 overs. For India, Vihaan Malhotra produced magical figures of 4/14 in four overs. Khilan Patel picked up two wickets, while Kanishk Chouhan, Henil Patel and Deepesh Devendran claimed one wicket each.
Earlier, half-centuries from opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Abhinav Kundu helped India post a competitive total of 238 against Bangladesh.
After Bangladesh won the toss and opted to field, a controversial moment unfolded when Indian captain Ayush Mhatre and Bangladesh vice-captain Zawad Abrar avoided the customary handshake, drawing attention amid the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026 issues between the BCCI and BCB.
India suffered early setbacks, losing captain Mhatre for six and Vedant Trivedi for a golden duck in the third over bowled by Al Fahad. In the eighth over, Suryavanshi smashed 15 runs off Iqbal Hossain Emon as India reached 42/2.
The 14-year-old Suryavanshi brought up his fifty in just 30 deliveries during the 13th over. At 14 years and 296 days, he also became the youngest player to score a fifty-plus total at a Men’s U19 World Cup.
India reached 94/3 at the end of 20 overs. On the second ball of the 27th over, Iqbal Hossain Emon broke the crucial 62-run stand between Suryavanshi and Abhinav Kundu.
Iqbal dismissed Suryavanshi for 72 off 67 deliveries, an innings that included six fours and three sixes. The knock also made him the seventh Indian batter to score 1,000 or more runs in Youth ODIs.
India continued to lose wickets as Iqbal removed Harvansh Pangalia for two in the 29th over, leaving India struggling at 123/5.
Kundu and Kanishk Chouhan then steadied the innings, taking India to 152/5 by the end of the 33rd over. However, Azizul Hakim Tamim broke their 54-run partnership by dismissing Chouhan for 28 off 26 balls, including four boundaries, in the 36th over.
Kundu brought up his fifty in 82 deliveries as India reached 184/6 in 37 overs. Rain again interrupted play after the 39th over, eventually reducing the match to 49 overs per side.
Following the resumption, Sheikh Paevez Jibon dismissed RS Ambrish for five as India crawled to 194/7 in 40 overs.
Al Fahad ended Kundu’s resistance on the final ball of the 47th over. The batter played a fighting knock of 80 off 112 deliveries, which included four boundaries and three sixes.
India were eventually bowled out for 238 in 48.4 overs, with Al Fahad claiming a superb five-wicket haul. He finished with figures of 5/38 in 9.2 overs.
