Indian cricket team defeated Ireland by 201 runs in their second ICC U19 World Cup 2024 match on Thursday, January 25. Musheer Khan's brilliant hundred helped India score a huge total of 301 and then impressive spells from Naman Tiwari and Samya Pandey ended Irish's innings on 100 runs.
With two wins in two games, India secured a place in the Super Stages round as a group A leader. Ireland's hopes for the next round qualification depend on bottom-placed USA's remaining two matches.
Ireland captain Philippus le Roux won the toss and elected to bowl first at Bloemfontein's Mangaung Oval. Ireland made three changes to their playing eleven while pacer Dhanush Gowda replaced Raj Limbani for India.
Openers Arshin Kulkarni and last game's hero Adarsh Singh added only 32 runs for the opening but Musheer, batting at no.3, and captain Uday Saharan kept India on track for a big total. The duo added 156 runs for the third wicket with Saharan scoring 75 off 84 balls, his back-to-back fifty in the tournament. Musheer top-scored with 118 runs off 106 balls with the help of nine fours and four sixes.
Wicketkeeper batter Aravelly Avanish and youngster Sachin Dhas also contributed with quick cameos as India recorded 301 runs in 50 overs. Oliver Riley, the 17-year-old pacer, took three wickets for 55 while pace all-rounder John McNally bagged two for the Irish side.
Irish openers were cautious with their early approach as they avoided losing wickets in the first five overs. But left-arm spinner Saumy Pandey gave India a breakthrough in the sixth over and then Ireland witnessed an embarrassing collapse.
Ireland's innings stumbled from 22/0 to 45/8 within ten overs with Naman Tiwari and Saumy Pandey claiming seven wickets combined. After impressing with a ball, Riley displayed his batting skills by scoring 15 runs and adding a crucial 39 runs for the ninth wicket.
Captain Saharan put Ireland out of their misery with Finn Lutton's wicket in the 30th over. Musheer bagged the Player of the Match award for his sensational hundred.
India U19 Playing XI: Adarsh Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, Musheer Khan, Uday Saharan (c), Priyanshu Moliya, Aravelly Avanish (wk), Sachin Dhas, Murugan Abhishek, Dhanush Gowda, Saumy Pandey, Naman Tiwari
Ireland U19 Playing XI: Jordan Neill, Ryan Hunter (wk), Kian Hilton, Philippus le Roux (c), Scott MacBeth, John McNally, Carson McCullough, Oliver Riley, Macdara Cosgrave, Daniel Forkin, Finn Lutton
