India U19 Crush USA in Thrilling Opener: Patel's 5-Wicket Haul Seals Victory!

In a rain-interrupted thriller at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, India U19 kicked off their ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026 campaign with a commanding six-wicket win over USA U19 via the DLS method.

India's bowlers set the tone early, dismantling the USA batting lineup for just 107 runs. Star performer Henil Patel claimed a sensational five-wicket haul, supported by sharp fielding and contributions from RS Ambrish and Deepesh Devendran.[1][2][3][4]

USA's innings crumbled under pressure, with Nitish Sudini top-scoring on 36 and Adnit Jhamb making 18. Key dismissals included Sahil Garg, Arjun Mahesh, and others as India's attack, led by captain Ayush Mhatre, dominated proceedings.[1][2][5]

Rain forced a revised target of 96 runs in 33 overs for India. The chase saw early jitters with Vaibhav Suryavanshi out for 2, followed by wickets of Vedant Trivedi and Ayush Mhatre, leaving India at 25/3.[1][3][4]

Abhigyan Kundu played a match-winning knock of 42, partnering with Vihaan Malhotra for a crucial 45-run stand off 43 balls to steady the ship. Kundu finished unbeaten, smashing a six to seal the victory in 17.2 overs.[3][4]

Ayush Mhatre's leadership guided a talented Indian side, five-time champions aiming for a record sixth title in Group B alongside New Zealand and Bangladesh. USA, captained by Utkarsh Srivastava, showed fight but lacked firepower.[5][6]

This win sets a strong tone for India in the tournament hosted across Zimbabwe and Namibia, highlighting emerging talents like Patel and Kundu.[6]