India leads group A and advances to the next round. Having won the first two games, the team had already guaranteed a spot in the Super Six.
In their final group match of the U-19 World Cup here on Sunday, India defeated the USA by a score of 201 runs behind a century from Arshin Kulkarni and four wickets from bowler Naman Tiwari.
India, the defending champion, maintained their unbeaten streak in the competition with the victory.
India leads group A and advances to the next round. Having won the first two games, the team had already guaranteed a spot in the Super Six.
India was called to bat first and amassed a massive 326 for five, with left-hand opener Arshin (108), playing brilliantly at the bat, and number three Musheer Khan (73), providing the ideal accompaniment.
The bowlers then superbly matched the Indian batting team, restricting minnow USA to a meager 125 for 8 in 50 overs, paced by left-arm pacer Tiwari (4/20).
USA were ill-prepared to surpass the enormous goal, and their pursuit got off to a shaky start as Tiwari and partner pacer Raj Limbani (1/17) dominated the USA top-order in the first ten overs with the new ball.
In the first over, Limbani dismissed Prannav Chettipalayam, and in the second over, Tiwari dismissed opener Bhavya Patel with the same precision he displayed against Ireland, and in the eighth over, he removed captain Rishi Ramesh.
Among his other victims were Manav Nayak and the resolute Utkarsh Srivastava, who led the USA in scoring with a 73-ball 40.
Earlier, India was expected to dominate with the bat. However, the record five-time champion lost momentum in the conclusion of the innings as USA bowlers picked up wickets at regular intervals.
While the left-handed Arshin scored 108 off 118 balls, including eight knocks to the fence and three maximums, Musheer hit 73 off 76 balls. The 18-year-old, Sarfaraz Khan’s younger brother, continued his fine form by forming a critical 155-run combination with Arshin.
Spinner Ramesh got the USA back into the game by removing Musheer, who was attempting to clear the cover fielder but was edged to short third in the 36th over.
Though Musheer left after hitting six boundaries and a single six, Arshin remained at his end, anchoring the Indian innings. Dropped on 16 in the 14th over, he celebrated his century in style, flicking the ball past short fine leg for a boundary, much to the joy of his parents, who were cheering him on from the stands.
After a few overs, USA quickly removed captain Uday Sharan, who contributed usefully with a 27-ball 35, and set-batter Arshin in the space of six balls.
Acceleration was the goal for both batters. Arya Garg’s delivery struck Sharan, then Ateendra Subramanian claimed the crucial wicket of Arshin, who smashed a sluggish, short ball straight to the fielder at long off.
With cameos from Aravelly Avanish (12 not out), Priyanshu Moliya (27 not out), and Sachin Dhas (20), India passed the 300-run milestone.
