New Delhi: A belligerent 27-ball 53 (2X4, 6X6) from skipper Ayush Mhatre and a four-wicket haul from pacer RS Ambrish meant India steamrolled New Zealand by seven wickets — with 141 balls remaining — in their final group encounter and cruised into the Super Six stage of the U-19 World Cup in Bulawayo on Saturday.
Reduced to 37-overs-a-side after a second rain interruption in the eighth over of the match, India bundled out the Kiwis for 135 in 36.2 overs before Mhatre put on a six-hitting masterclass to ensure India’s smooth passage.
With no pressure of the asking rate, Mhatre who had been short of run of late, drove with conviction and pulled with authority and raced to his half century off 24 balls with back-to-back sixes off finger spinner Selwin Sanjay. India lost opener Aaron George in the second over, but Mhatre and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (40 off 23 balls; 2X4, 3X6) put the New Zealand bowling to sword.
India hammered eight sixes in the eight-over powerplay to put the chase firmly on course; by contrast, New Zealand managed just six boundaries throughout their innings.
Mhatre was quick to judge the length and had no problem in pulling off either foot. Even the short of length deliveries were smashed in the arc between deep midwicket and square leg, and whenever the bowlers overcompensated with length, the Mumbai right-hander was happy to drive. The fifty ended Mhatre’s barren run of nine innings that contained four single-digit scores.
Sooryavanshi and Mhatre added 76 runs for the second wicket off 39 balls, and by the time the former departed after miscuing his pull, there was little doubt about the outcome of the match. Mhatre fell ten balls later after top-edging a sweep but Vihaan Malhotra and Vedant Trivedi ensured there were no further hiccups. India will next play hosts Zimbabwe on Tuesday.
Earlier, bowling first after winning the toss, India made regular inroads in the Kiwi line-up on a track that offered movement in the air as well as off the seam. Fast bowlers Ambrish and Henil Patel pounded the good length area and extracted disconcerting bounce, putting the New Zealand top order under serious pressure.
The Kiwi top three failed to reach double figures with Ambrish striking twice in first five overs. Most impressive of his four dismissals though was wicketkeeper Marco William Alpe who was bowled through his defences courtesy a searing yorker that tailed in late and uprooted his leg stump. Ambrish and Patel accounted for seven wickets, the latter picking three for 23. At one stage, New Zealand were reeling at 69/7 and ran the risk of being bowled out for under 100, but a 53-run eighth-wicket alliance between Selwin Sanjay and Callum Samson gave their tally an iota of respectability.
Khilan Patel, Mohamed Enaan, and Kanishk Chouhan all chipped in with a wicket apiece while Ambrish was adjudged Player of the Match for his 4/29.
“Boys showed character and a really good attitude. It wasn’t easy for us as well due to the weather. The boys are mature enough to adapt to conditions and they just backed their basics,” Mhatre said at the post-match presentation.
Brief scores: New Zealand 135 in 36.2 ovs (Callum Samson 37; RS Ambrish 4/29, Henil Patel 3/23). India: 130/3 in 13.3 overs via DLS (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 40, Ayush Mhatre 53;). India won by 7 wkts.
