Indian cricket teams produced another huge 214-run win against New Zealand in their first Super Six stage game at ICC U19 World Cup 2024 in Bloemfontein on Tuesday, January 30. Musheer Khan recorded another impressive century to help India post a big total of 295 and then also impressed with a ball to bundle out the Kiwi youngsters on just 81 runs.
Captain Uday Saharan lost the toss again and India were forced to bat in the fourth consecutive game. Last game's centurion Arshin Kulkarni walked back after scoring just nine runs but opener Adarsh Singh and in-form Musheer added 77 runs for the second wicket to keep India on track for a big total.
Musheer was impressive with a balanced approach and quickly adapted to playing conditions at Mangaung Oval. Adarsh registered his second fifty in this tournament but was not able to convert it into a big knock. Mason Clarke dismissed Adarsh on 52 off 58 balls but Musheer kept the hammering by scoring a brilliant 131 off 126 balls knock.
Saharan also seemed in great touch as he added 87 runs with Musheer for the third wicket. Indian batters struggled in the last ten overs to convert a good start into a big total but somehow managed to put 295 of eight. Mason Clarke took four wickets for the Kiwis but conceded 7.75 runs in each over.
Defining 295, the 18-year-old right-arm pacer Raj Limbani bowled out Tom Jones on the very first ball of the innings and then further stunned New Zealand with a wicket of in-form Snehith Reddy in the same over. After Limbani's fiery start, in-form left-arm spinner Saumy Pandey continued his red-hot form by taking four wickets. Musheer also displayed his bowling skills by taking two late wickets as New Zealand stumbled on 81 in 28.1 overs.
India U19 Playing XI: Adarsh Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, Musheer Khan, Uday Saharan (c), Priyanshu Moliya, Sachin Dhas, Aravelly Avanish (wk), Murugan Abhishek, Naman Tiwari, Raj Limbani, Saumy Pandey
New Zealand U19 Playing XI: James Nelson, Tom Jones, Snehith Reddy, Lachlan Stackpole, Oscar Jackson (c), Oliver Tewatiya, Zac Cumming, Alex Thompson (wk), Ewald Schreuder, Ryan Tsourgas, Mason Clarke