India U19 Continue Winning Streak With Seven-Wicket Win Over New Zealand in Rain-Hit Clash

Bulawayo, Jan 24: The Indian men’s Under-19 team continued its impressive run in the 2026 ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup, registering a convincing seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in a rain-affected Group B encounter at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, on Saturday.

After being asked to bat first, New Zealand struggled to cope with India’s disciplined bowling attack and were bowled out for 135 in 36.2 overs. Indian pacer R.S. Ambrish led the charge with a superb spell, claiming 4 for 29, while Henil Patel provided excellent support, picking up three wickets for 23 runs.

New Zealand’s innings got off to a shaky start as Ambrish struck early, removing Hugo Bogue (4) and Tom Jones (2) in quick succession. The pressure continued when Aryan Mann fell to Henil Patel, reducing New Zealand to 17/3. The situation worsened rapidly as Marco Alpe (1) and Snehith Reddy (10) were dismissed soon after, leaving the Kiwis reeling at 22/5.

A brief recovery was led by Callum Cotter, who top-scored with an unbeaten 37, while Selwin Sanjay (28) and Callum Samson added valuable runs to push New Zealand past the 100-run mark. However, India’s bowlers maintained control throughout, preventing any substantial partnerships.

Chasing a revised target under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, India lost Aaron George early for seven, bowled by Mason Clarke. Despite the early setback, the Indian batters showed composure and intent.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi played a brisk knock of 40 off 23 balls, while skipper Ayush Mhatre rediscovered form with a commanding 53 off just 27 deliveries. The duo stitched together a fluent partnership that put India firmly in control of the chase.

After their departure, Vihaan Malhotra (17 not out) and Vedant Trivedi (13 not out) calmly guided India home with an unbeaten 29-run stand, sealing victory in just 13.3 overs.

The win ensured India finished at the top of Group B and confirmed their place in Group 2 of the Super Six stage, where they will compete alongside England, Pakistan, Bangladesh, New Zealand, and hosts Zimbabwe.

Five-time champions India will next face Zimbabwe on Tuesday, before a highly anticipated clash against Pakistan on February 1. With strong performances in both batting and bowling, the Indian U19 side continues to look like a formidable contender for the title.

Brief Scores:
New Zealand :135 all out in 36.2 overs (Callum Samson 37*, Selwin Sanjay 28; R.S. Ambrish 4-29, Henil Patel 3-23)
India : 130/3 in 13.3 overs (Ayush Mhatre 53, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 40)
India won by seven wickets (DLS method)