Mount Maunganui (New Zealand): Stand-in openers Shubman Gill (90 n o, 59b, 14×4, 1×6) and Harvik Desai (56 n o, 73b, 8×4, 1×6) helped three-time champions India complete their Group B domination with a comprehensive 10-wicket win over an ill-equipped Zimbabwe in the ICC U-19 World Cup here, Friday.
India, who had already sealed a quarterfinal spot, produced another professional performance to end the league stage unbeaten.
Such was their run in the group stage that they recorded two 10-wicket victories besides a 100-run rout of three-time champions Australia. India are likely to face Bangladesh in the quarterfinal.
Zimbabwe batsmen seemed clueless against left-arm spinners Anukul Roy (4/20) and Abhishek Sharma (2/22) and folded up for 154 in 48.1 overs. Milton Shumba (36) was the top scorer for Zimbabwe. The Rahul Dravid-coached Indian side chased down the target with ridiculous ease in just 21.4 overs.
India regular skipper Prithvi Shaw did not open Friday, letting the other batsmen spend more time in the middle before the quarterfinals.
Brief scores
Zimbabwe 154 in 48.1 overs (Milton Shumba 36; Anukul Roy 4/20) lost to India 155 for no loss in 21.4 overs (Shubman Gill 90 n o, Harvik Desai 56 n o) by 10 wickets.
Oz, Pak advance
Christchurch: Australia and Pakistan Friday secured their spots in the quarterfinals of the U-19 World Cup with wins over Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Sri Lanka respectively. Australia thumped PNG by 311 runs while former champions Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by three wickets in a Group D match. Australia rode on a scintillating century by Nathan McSweeney (156, 111b, 18×4, 4×6) to score a huge 370 for eight. In reply PNG were bowled out for 59 in 24.5 overs with Jason Ralston (7/15) wreaking havoc. Sri Lanka meanwhile were bowled out for 188 and Pakistan completed the chase losing seven wickets.
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