The ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup delivered high drama as India outclassed Bangladesh by 18 runs in a rain-affected encounter, marking their second win on the trot. Played under overcast skies in Bloemfontein, the game highlighted India’s depth in both batting and bowling. Opting to bowl, Bangladesh faced early resistance from India’s openers who raced to 67 before the first wicket fell. Contributions from Utkarsh Mishra (32) and skipper Saumy Pandey (45) propelled India to 185/7 in a truncated 37-over innings. Spinners like Iqbal Hasan picked wickets, but loose overs proved costly. Frequent showers revised the target to 168 in 37 overs for Bangladesh. They started aggressively, but Naman Tiwari’s express pace (4/38) and Ayush Narwal’s spin (2/25) sparked a middle-order meltdown. From 72/2, Bangladesh slumped to 110/7, with only Maruf Mridha’s gritty 28 offering resistance. The lower order mounted a scare, narrowing the gap to 18 runs needed off the last over. Tiwari held his nerve, conceding just 7 to force a Super Over. There, India’s duo of Pandey and Tiwari bowled brilliantly, limiting Bangladesh to 9/1, while their batters chased it down comfortably.
