Mount Maunganui: India breezed into the ICC U-19 World Cup quarterfinals hammering minnows Papua New Guinea (PNG) by 10 wickets in a low-scoring group B clash here Tuesday.
Skipper Prithvi Shaw (57 n o, 39b, 12×4) slammed a strokeful half century after spinner Anukul Roy claimed a maiden five-wicket haul at Bay Oval here to earn India the win.
Roy emerged as the wrecker-in-chief for India as he run through the opposition, returning with impressive figures of 6.5-2-14-5 after Shaw won the toss and elected to field first under overcast conditions.
Ovia Sam (15), Simon Atai (13) and Sinika Arua (12) were the only PNG batsmen to get into double figures as they folded for a paltry 64 in 21.5 overs, the tournament’s lowest score so far. Four of their batsmen failed to open their accounts. Shivam Mavi (2/16) once again impressed with his pace while Kamlesh Nagarkoti (1/17) and Arshdeep Singh (1/10) picked up a wicket apiece.
India then overhauled the target, reaching 67 for no loss in eight overs, riding on Shaw’s fluent unbeaten knock. It was his second half century of the tournament.
“I did not feel that I would get five wickets,” Roy told reporters after the game. “Be it any opposition, getting five wickets in an innings is always an important achievement,” the left-arm spinner added. India will take on Zimbabwe next on January 19.
Brief scores: Papua New Guinea 64 all out in 21.5 overs (Anukul Roy 5/14) lost to India 67 for no loss in eight overs by 10 wickets. (Prithvi Shaw 57 n o).
Press trust of India
