Team India posted a 44-run victory versus New Zealand via the DLS Method in the Under-19 World Cup in Bloemfontein. With this win, India is through to the quarterfinal, where they will meet Australia and the match is scheduled to be played at the Senwes Park in Potchefstroom on January 28. New Zealand will thus take on West Indies in the second Quarterfinal at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on January 29.
Bishnoi, Ankolekar star in Indian victory against NZ
During a rain-hit final group A league encounter reduced to 23-overs per-side, India scored 115 for no loss in 23 overs with openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (57 not out off 72 balls) and Divyansh Saxena (52 off 62 balls) hitting half-centuries. New Zealand, who required 192 in 23 overs as per DLS method calculations, were bowled out for 147 in 21 overs by India.
Left-arm orthodox Ankolekar took 3 for 28 in five overs with some accurate wicket-to-wicket bowling. This was after New Zealand No 3 Fergus Lellman hit him for two sixes off his first two deliveries. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi bowled googlies, sliders, and top-spinners to end with 4 for 30 from five overs.
Once New Zealand had a target of 193, they showed intent with some lusty hits reaching 53 in just over five overs before India’s most dependable breakthrough provider Bishnoi got into the act.
He slid one past opener Ollie White who had given him the charge to let Jurel complete an easy stumping.
Then it was Atharva, India’s Junior Asia Cup final hero, who got into the act after being hit for two consecutive sixes by Lellman. Before that, he dropped a catch due to a plastered right hand. However, he got the other opener Rhys Marieu (42 off 31 balls) caught in deep. Ankolekar then had his revenge on Lellman who was played on and then had Nicholas Lidstone leg before with an arm ball. That was good enough to break New Zealand’s resistance as Bishnoi ran through lower middle-order.
India won all their three games from Group A and have qualified for the Super League. With three points to their name, New Zealand has almost progressed to the Super League. Only the unfancied Japan can stop the Black Caps from qualifying for the next round by beating Sri Lanka with a huge margin.
