Unbeaten India U19 Cricket Team are a win away from semifinal berth in ICC U19 World Cup. With the semis berth in sight, Uday Saharan & Co take on minnows Nepal in the Super Six clash on Feb 2 at the Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Defending champions India U19 are coming off three dominant wins in a row. In the last Super Six match, India thumped New Zealand by 214 runs.
IND U19 vs NEP U19 Preview:
With a hat-trick of wins, India U19 remain on the top of Super Six Group I securing the top position. Musheer Khan, with an impressive 325 runs and two centuries, leads the batting charts. Saumy Kumar Pandey, the left-arm spinner, shares the top spot in the bowling table with 12 wickets.
Captain Saharan, wicketkeeper-batsman Aravalli Avanish, and all-rounder Arshin Kulkarni have also played pivotal roles in India’s success. With depth in their squad, India aim to finish the Super Six encounters on a high note, heading confidently to the semifinals in Benoni.
Opener Adarsh Singh found his form with a crucial 52 against New Zealand, boosting his confidence. Left-arm pacer Naman Tiwary, effective in containing run-flow during Power Play, adds a challenging dimension to India’s bowling attack. Despite India’s dominance, underestimating Nepal, with their ability to upset strong teams, would be unwise.
In contrast, Nepal U19 secured only one victory in their three group-stage encounters. Their initial Super Six stage fixture against Bangladesh U19 ended in a loss, with the Nepal batters struggling to make an impact. They were dismissed for 169 with a ball to spare.
However, Nepal, boast of potential match-winners like skipper Dev Khanal and medium pacer Akash Chand. India seeks to avoid any mishaps and secure a safe path to the semifinals, while Nepal aims to cause an upset and challenge the tournament favourites.
India U19 Predicted Playing XI:
Uday Saharan (c), Adarsh Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, Musheer Khan, Priyanshu Moliya, Sachin Dhas, Aravelly Avanish (wk), Murugan Abhishek, Naman Tiwari, Raj Limbani, Saumy Pandey
Nepal U19 Predicted Playing XI:
Dev Khanal (c), Arjun Kumal, Bipin Rawal, Aakash Tripathi, Uttam Thapa Magar (wk), Gulsan Jha, Deepak Dumre, Dipesh Kandel, Subash Bhandari, Aakash Chand, Durgesh Gupta
India U19 Squad:
Uday Saharan (c), Arshin Kulkarni, Adarsh Singh, Rudra Mayur Patel, Sachin Dhas, Priyanshu Moliya, Musheer Khan, Aravelly Avanish Rao, Saumy Kumar Pandey, Murugan Abhishek, Innesh Mahajan, Dhanush Gowda, Aaradhya Shukla, Raj Limbani and Naman Tiwari.
Nepal U19 Squad:
Dev Khanal (c), Arjun Kumal, Aakash Tripathi, Dipak Prasad Dumre, Durgesh Gupta, Gulshan Kumar Jha, Dipesh Prasad Kandel, Bishal Bikram KC, Subhash Bhandari, Deepak Bohara, Dipak Bohara, Uttam Rangu Thapa Macar, Bipin Rawal, Tilak Raj Bhandari, Akash Chand.