U-19 World Cup, IND vs BAN: Abhigyan Kundu, Vihaan Malhotra shine as India beat Bangladesh by 18 runs in rain-hit match

India’s U-19 squad kept their winning streak alive at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, edging out Bangladesh by 18 runs (DLS method) in a tense World Cup showdown. Rain kept interrupting, so the match turned into a real test of nerves. India’s middle order stood firm, and their bowlers finished strong when it counted most.

Early on, things looked shaky for India. Bangladesh’s Al Fahad tore through the top order, leaving India at 53 for 3. Then, everything changed. Fourteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi and wicketkeeper Abhigyan Kundu stepped up, putting together a partnership that swung the game back India’s way. Suryavanshi, just a kid but already making history, smashed 72 from 67 balls—the youngest ever to hit a fifty in the U-19 World Cup. 

Kundu held things together at the other end, playing a calm, steady hand for his 80 off 112 balls. Even with a 65-minute rain delay, their stand pushed India past 200. The team finished with a solid 238 all out in 48.4 overs.

Then came more rain. Bangladesh got a new target—165 from 29 overs—and started strong. At 106 for 2, with skipper Azizul Hakim Tamim on 51, they looked set to chase it down. But vice-captain Vihaan Malhotra had other ideas. He came on and turned the whole thing upside down, ripping through the middle and lower order for 4 wickets while giving up just 14 runs. Khilan Patel helped out with two wickets of his own. Suddenly, Bangladesh lost their last seven wickets for only 22 runs. 

India’s fielding was sharp, too—Malhotra himself pulled off a stunning catch on the boundary to finish things off. Bangladesh folded for 146 in 28.3 overs. India walked away with a hard-earned win, their confidence growing with every match.

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