India’s flawless run at the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup has set the stage for a high-voltage Super 6 showdown against arch-rivals Pakistan on February 1, with both sides firmly in contention for a place in the semi-finals.
India continued to underline their credentials with a commanding 204-run victory over hosts Zimbabwe, their fourth successive win of the tournament. The emphatic result not only kept their unbeaten record intact but also showcased the depth and balance of the squad, having already beaten the USA, Bangladesh, and New Zealand in earlier matches.
The win over Zimbabwe was particularly significant as it marked India’s first full 50-over outing of the tournament, free from DLS interventions. Batting first, India piled up a formidable 352 for 8, the fourth-highest total of the World Cup so far, which proved far beyond Zimbabwe’s reach.
Vihaan Malhotra anchored the innings with a composed unbeaten 109 off 107 balls, an effort that earned him the Player of the Match award. Coming in during the 11th over, Malhotra batted through the innings, providing stability and momentum.
Captain Ayush Mhatre was quick to acknowledge Malhotra’s impact. “(Vihaan has been) really doing well,” Mhatre said post-game.
“(When we were touring before the World Cup) he was doing really well, he is really confident, and we are also really confident that he’s batting really well and that he is doing good work for the team.”
India then delivered a clinical bowling performance, with Mhatre himself leading from the front. His figures of 3 for 14 off four overs, combined with Udhav Mohan’s 3 for 20 and RS Ambrish’s 2 for 19, ensured Zimbabwe were swiftly dismissed, giving India further momentum heading into the business end of the tournament.
“This match was really nice for us, the boys were really doing well, and we’ll try to carry this momentum forward,” Mhatre added.
Meanwhile, Pakistan arrive at the February 1 clash on the back of a dominant eight-wicket win over New Zealand, a result that has intensified the race for the semi-finals in Group 2. With only India, England, and Pakistan still in contention, Sunday’s India–Pakistan encounter could have a decisive bearing on the final four.
Despite the magnitude of the rivalry, Mhatre stressed that India would remain focused on their own processes rather than the occasion.
“The boys are really excited for the match, we’ll just play our game, not really worry about our opponents that we are playing against, (we’ll) just play our game and back our game,” he noted.
After the initial hiccup against England, Pakistan bounced back in style with back-to-back wins against Scotland, Zimbabwe, and now New Zealand. As such, the high-octane clash against India in Bulawayo on Sunday could well decide who progresses to the last four stages.
On his team hitting peak form ahead of the blockbuster clash, captain Farhan Yousaf said they are focusing on playing their natural game. “The boys have morale high for the next game (against India) and … not too much (focus will be) on India, it’s (about) playing our natural game and play a good game in good spirit.”
“It’s a big game, the crowd really enjoy (games like this), but I already told the boys before, focus on the game … and give your 100 percent,” he added.