India sealed their place in the semifinals of the after knocking out arch-rivals Pakistan in a tense Super Six encounter at Bulawayo, despite not delivering their best performance. Defending a modest total of 252, India showcased discipline and tactical awareness to win by 58 runs and keep their title hopes alive.
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Pakistan’s Conservative Chase Backfires
With England already through and India sitting on six points, Pakistan faced a unique equation in the U-19 World Cup: chase the target within 33.3 overs to eliminate India. However, what promised to be a high-octane contest soon fizzled out as Pakistan adopted a cautious approach that worked against their own interests in the U-19 World Cup.
Pakistan’s bowlers had done well initially, removing India’s top three inside the powerplay and restricting the batting side to a manageable total. Missed chances, a sluggish over rate that resulted in fielding penalties, and a few late boundaries allowed India to push past 250 — a total that proved decisive in the U-19 World Cup.
The chase never gathered momentum. Opener Sameer Minhas, Pakistan’s in-form batter in the U-19 World Cup, fell early to Henil Patel, triggering celebrations that underlined the wicket’s importance. Despite steady partnerships from Hamza Zahoor and Usman Khan, Pakistan consumed too many dot balls and failed to apply pressure. India’s spinners, Kanish Chouhan and Khilan Patel, thrived as the asking rate spiralled in the U-19 World Cup.
India’s Grit Makes the Difference
Once qualification slipped out of reach, Pakistan collapsed under pressure. Captain Ayush Mhatre chipped in with three wickets as India tightened the noose to complete another convincing win in the U-19 World Cup.
Earlier, India themselves were in trouble after a fiery opening spell from Pakistan’s seamers. Vedant Trivedi anchored the innings with a composed 68, but it was the lower-order resistance from RS Ambrish, Kanishk and Khilan that lifted India to 252. Their timely contributions proved vital in the context of the U-19 World Cup.
Having won all their matches so far, India march into the semifinals of the U-19 World Cup unbeaten. Yet, with a clash against Afghanistan looming, the team knows improvement is needed if they are to claim a historic sixth title in the U-19 World Cup.
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