#ChampionsInBlue: Team India beats New Zealand in rain-curtailed game
The Indian U-19 cricket team beat New Zealand in the ongoing ICC U-19 World Cup at the Manguang Oval, Bloemfontein. Batting first, India were 103/0 in 21 overs, before rain intervened play. The match was reduced to 23 overs a side and the revised target for New Zealand was 192. The Kiwis failed to chase down the target. Here's more.
India U-19 openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Divyansh Saxena scored unbeaten half-centuries to help the side get off to a strong start. Jaiswal hit four fours and two sixes in a 77-ball knock. Meanwhile, Saxena slammed a 62-ball 52. He hit six fours and at a strike-rate of 83.87. Both negotiated the Kiwi bowlers well and looked solid in their approach.
Yashasvi was always touted to be someone who can make a difference for Team India and the southpaw hasn't disappointed. He scored 59 against Sri Lanka U-19 team and then scored a quick-fire 29* against Japan. And now, he amassed another unbeaten knock.
New Zealand U-19 team got off to a flier with the asking rate being high. Rhys Mariu and Ollie White gave the side the desired stand atop. The two added 53 runs for the first wicket. White departed for a 12-ball 14. He hit two fours. And then moments later, Mariu (42) was dismissed. Indian spinners Ravi Bishnoi and Atharva Ankolekar were the wicket-takers.
Fergus Lellman (31) scored at a brisk rate. He hit two fours and two sixes in a 19-ball knock. However, it was Ankolekar, who dismissed him. Lellman tried to whip the same across the line and he got an inside edge as the ball hit the stumps. From there on, India kept their nerves and won their third successive match in Group A.
Spinner Bishnoi has been superb in the ongoing event. In three matches, he has now raced to 10 scalps. He claimed four wickets against the Kiwis. Earlier in the match against Japan, he registered figures of 4/5.
