Georgetown: Four-time champions India started their campaign in the Under-19 World Cup with a 45-run victory over South Africa in every department of the game. In the match played at the Providence Stadium on Saturday, India scored 232 runs in 46.5 overs with the help of captain Yash Dhul’s responsible innings of 82 runs after being invited to bat first.
After this, left-arm spinner Vicky Ostwal (5 for 28) and fast bowler Raj Bawa (4 for 47) showed their bowling skills as South Africa were bundled out for 187 runs in 45.4 overs. Chasing a target of 233, South Africa lost the wicket of opener Ethan John Cunningham (nil) in the first over, who was dismissed leg before by fast bowler Rajvardhan Hengargekar (1 for 38).
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Valentine Kittime (25) and Devald Brevis (65) then added 58 runs for the second wicket. South Africa’s score was 38 for one after 10 overs. Keetime hit six and four on fast bowler Ravi Kumar in the 10th over. Brevis and Keetime then added 17 runs in Bawa’s next over. When both of them were trying to dominate, Ostwal broke the partnership by getting Keetime caught by wicketkeeper Dinesh Bana. Ostwal caught GJ Mari (eight) behind the wickets in the 21st over to reduce the score to 83 for three.
After this the Indian bowlers did not give South Africa a chance to recover. It didn’t take long for the South African innings to collapse after Bawa got Brevis caught by skipper Dhull in the 36th over. Captain Georges Van Heerden scored 36 runs but it only reduced the margin of defeat. Earlier, the Indian team had lost the wickets of openers Angkrish Raghuvanshi (five) and Harnoor Singh (one) for 11 runs. Dhul and Sheikh Rashid (31) took charge of the team with a partnership of 71 runs for the third wicket.
Dhul was batting well, hitting 11 fours in his 100-ball knock before being run out. He held one end. Meanwhile, Nishant Sindhu played a useful innings of 27 runs in 25 balls but could not stay at the crease for long. After the dismissals of Raj Bawa (13) and Dhul, Kaushal Tambe took charge and played an important innings of 35 runs. Matthew Bost took three wickets for South Africa while Apive Mayanda and Brevis took two wickets each. (agency)