The India under-19 side are in South Africa preparing to defend the World Cup title which they two years ago in New Zealand, And they warmed up for the event with a highly impressive 66 run victory the host nation in a warm-up match in Durban on Friday.
It was India under-19 who won the toss and opted to bat first, suffering an early loss when Divyansh Saxena was caught by Jonathan Bird off Mondli Khumalo cheaply. Fellow opener Yashasvi Jaiswal fell to the same bowler, but Tilak Varma, and his captain, Priyam Garg, added 91 for the third wicket, until Varma became the third wicket to fall, another victim of Khumalo for 42.
Garg then combined with wicket-keeper Dhruv Chand Jurel, and the pair shared a stand of 104 for the fourth wicket, scoring at 5 an over. Garg reached his century before he fell for 110, having struck 2 sixes and 9 fours.
Jurel and Shashwat Rawat then added 35,and, although Jurel fell in the final over for 65, having hit 2 sixes, Rawat, who was 14 not out at the end, helped his side to 264 – 5 at the end of their 50 overs.
In reply, South Africa under-19s made a reasonable start with Levert Manje and Andrew Louw, until Atharva Ankolekar bowled Manje for 13. Louw and Bird added 43, but then Sushant Mishra struck with three quick wickets. First he had Louw caught by Ravi Bishnoi for 45, and then he had Bird caught behind for 22. He then struck again to have Luke Beaufort caught by Kartik Tyagi.
Khanya Cotani and captain Bryce Parsons put on 30, but then Cotani was bowled by Tyagi for 13. Varma had Jack Lees caught by Rawat, and then Bishnoi removed both Pheko Moletsane and Merrick Brett within three balls of each other.
With South Africa hopelessly adrift of the run rate, Parsons was the last man out, caught by CTL Rakshan off Mishra for 57. Achille Cloete and Khumalo were respectively 11 and 10 not out at the end, but the best the home side could muster was 198 – 9.
Mishra was the pick of the Indian bowlers with 4 for 48, whilst Bishnoi finished with 2 for 29.
