The second day of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup witnessed three exciting encounters, as India, England, and Pakistan began their campaigns on a positive note.
Defending champions India faced Bangladesh in a thrilling match. Despite enduring a shaky start, India managed to secure a commanding 81-run victory. Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field first, taking advantage of the early assistance. Maruf Mridha troubled the Indian batters with his left-arm angle, dismissing Arshin Kulkarni and Musheer Khan early in the innings. However, Adarsh Singh and skipper Uday Saharan steadied the ship and added 116 runs for the third wicket. Adarsh scored a valuable 76 before getting dismissed, while Saharan contributed 64. Contributions from Aravelly Avanish and Sachin Dhas helped India reach a total of 251/7. In response, Bangladesh openers Ashiqur Rahman Shibli and Jishan Alam provided a solid start, but Saumy Pandey’s sensational bowling debut turned the tide in India’s favor. Saumy and Musheer Khan combined to pick six wickets, as Bangladesh faltered and eventually lost by 81 runs.
England also enjoyed a comprehensive victory against Scotland, winning the match by 7 wickets. After winning the toss, England elected to field and restricted Scotland to a modest total of 174. Scottish captain Owen Gould top-scored with 48, but Luc Benkenstein and Farhan Ahmed starred with the ball for England, taking three wickets each. In their chase, England got off to a solid start with Jadyn Denly and captain Ben McKinney. They added 68 runs in the first Powerplay and set the perfect foundation for their team. McKinney played an attacking innings, scoring 88, to guide England towards victory. Despite Denly’s dismissal, England reached the target comfortably in the 27th over, with Benkenstein and Hamza Shaikh remaining unbeaten.
Pakistan produced a dominant performance to defeat Afghanistan by 181 runs. Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first, with their openers displaying patience against the initial bowling attack. However, Khalil Ahmed’s impressive spell accounted for two early wickets. Captain Saad Baig led Pakistan’s counter-attack, smashing four sixes and scoring valuable runs. Shahzaib Khan also contributed with a century, as Pakistan accumulated 275 runs. In reply, the Afghanistan batting lineup struggled against Pakistan’s pacers. They kept losing wickets at regular intervals and eventually got bowled out for 103, handing Pakistan a comfortable victory.
These wins mark a positive start for India, England, and Pakistan in the U19 Cricket World Cup, showcasing their potential as strong contenders for the title.
