Clinical India U19 thump Australia U19 by seven wickets

Brisbane | Teen sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi showed glimpses of his batting prowess before wicketkeeper Abhigyan Kundu and Vedant Trivedi's unbeaten half-centuries powered India U19 to a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Australia U19 in the first Youth ODI here on Sunday.

Batting first after winning the toss, Australia could muster only 225 for nine thanks to an excellent performance by the Indian bowlers.

The visitors then completed the chase with as many as 117 balls to spare at the Ian Healy Oval, with Kundu and Trivedi remaining not out on a masterful 87 and 61 respectively.

The spotlight was on 14-year-old Suryavanshi, and he responded with a blazing 38 off just 22 balls, his innings containing seven fours.

Such was Suryavanshi's dominance that skipper Ayush Mhatre contributed just six runs in a 50-run opening partnership before the latter was dismissed by pacer Hayden Schiller.

Two balls later, Mhatre was sent back by Charles Lachmund, as India suddenly lost two wickets at the same score.

One-down batter Vihaan Malhotra (9) too failed to make a significant contribution as Lachmund accounted for the batter to leave India at 75 for three in the 10th over and give Australia a glimmer of home.

However, Trivedi and Kundu joined forces to dash Australian hopes with an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 152 runs to complete the chase in only 30.3 overs.

Kundu smashed five sixes and eight fours in his 74-ball knock, while Trivedi struck eight boundaries while facing 69 deliveries.

Seamer Lachmund (2/46 in 7 overs) was the most successful bowler for Australia U19.

Earlier, the Indians bowled to a disciplined line and length to restrict Australia within 230, way below what the home team would have hoped for when they opted to bat first.

However, they wouldn't have got that many too if it was not for John James' counterattacking, unbeaten 68-ball 77 after they were reeling at 35 for four and then 107 for six.

Henil Patel (3/38 in 10 overs), Kanishk Chouhan (2/39 in 10) and Kishan Kumar (2/59 in 10) mainly shared the spoils with one wicket going to RS Ambrish (1/50 in 10).

Tom Hogan chipped in with a slow 41 off 81 balls, while Steven Hogan struggled to 39 after facing 82 deliveries, reflecting the stranglehold of the Indian bowlers over the Australian batters.