Malhotra’s 4-for sparks India U-19 win in rain-hit opener
Malhotra’s 4-for sparks India U-19 win in rain-hit opener
Vihaan Malhotra’s 4/14 helps India edge Bangladesh in a rain-affected U-19 World Cup opener in Bulawayo.
Bulawayo hosted a tense U-19 World Cup opener where India, unchanged from their last match, posted 238 in a rain-revised 49-over match. Bangladesh, chasing a revised target after a second rain delay, appeared on track at 102 for 2 before India stormed back with a sensational spell from off-spinner Vihaan Malhotra.
Malhotra returned figures of 4 for 14 from his ten overs, using sharp turn and bounce to dismantle Bangladesh’s middle order and swing the match India’s way. Left-arm spinner Khilan Patel then delivered the decisive blow by dismissing Bangladesh skipper Azizul Hakim, who top-scored with 51 before a misjudged shot off a waist-high full toss reflected the set-back in Bangladesh’s chase.
Bangladesh’s resistance collapsed as eight wickets fell for 40 runs, plunging them from a comfortable 102-2 to 146 all out in 28.3 overs. Chasing a revised target of 165 from 29 overs after the rain, Bangladesh could not sustain the momentum and fell short, handing India an 18-run victory via the DLS method.
India’s innings featured a steady 238 in 49 overs, and the result kept them atop Group B with four points from two matches. Bangladesh and the USA were still to open their accounts, while New Zealand were yet to begin their campaign.
Off the field, the toss brought its own headlines as captains from both sides skipped the traditional handshake, a moment read by some observers as reflective of broader tensions surrounding cricket in the region. After the match, both teams exchanged pleasantries on the field, steering away from the earlier pre-match moment.
