Skipper Mhatre fails but Kundu, Trivedi shine as India U-19 trounce Australia

Brisbane [Australia], September 21 (ANI): India U-19 cantered to a landslide seven-wicket victory over Australia U-19 in the first youth ODI, courtesy of Abhigyan Kundu, leading the charge with an unbeaten 87 in Brisbane on Sunday.

After skipper Ayush Mhatre and Vihaan Malhotra failed to create the desired impact, Kundu took centre stage with a swashbuckling performance. At the other end, Vedant Trivedi played the second fiddle with his composed 61* off 69 deliveries as the duo steered the tourists to a commanding win.

While pursuing a 226-run target, India got off to a blistering start with top-order sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi pummelling seven fours and a towering maximum in the powerplay. Suryavanshi, a talent unearthed in recent years, continued with his high-risk and high-reward approach, harrying the attack at every available opportunity.

He walloped 38 off 22 deliveries, striking ferociously at 172.72, before perishing against Hayden Schiller on the final delivery of the fifth over. In the next over, Charles Lachmund dismissed Mhatre cheaply on 6(10) and returned to sting India back by claiming Vihaan Malhotra’s (9 off 10) wicket on the penultimate delivery of the powerplay.

With India reduced to 75/3 and early momentum slipping, Kundu and Trivedi lit up the stadium by forging an unbeaten 152-run stand. The left-right combination worked wonders as Australian players scratched their heads while trying to conjure a partnership-breaking delivery.

Boundaries cascaded at a consistent rate as Kundu and Trivedi tormented the hosts. Trivedi brought up his half-century by completing a single in the 24th over. Kundu was more stylish with his approach and smoked the ball past the boundary rope for a six to celebrate his half-century.

Kundu upped the ante and decimated Schiller with four, six and four in the 29th over and went on to produce the winning boundary to wrap up the contest with more than 117 deliveries to spare.

In the first innings, the coin spun in Australia’s favour and the hosts opted to bat. Kishan Kumar drew the first blood by dismissing Alex Turner for a golden duck and pinning Simon Budge in front of the stumps for a four-ball duck in the opening over.

Steven Hogan tried to push for a comeback, but captain Will Malajczuk (17 off 22) and Yash Deshmukh (0 off 4) couldn’t support him from the other end, leaving Australia threadbare at 35/4 in 8.4 overs. Tom Hogan steadied the ship with 40 off 81 while John James produced fireworks towards the end with his unbeaten 77(68) to propel Australia to 225/9. Henik Patel starred with a three-wicket haul while Kishan Kumar and Kanishk Chouhan chipped in with two each. (ANI)

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