Mount Maunganui: In an authoritative show, Indian colts trounced Australia by a massive 100-run margin in their ICC Under 19 World Cup opener with bowlers complementing a splendid batting performance, here.
Skipper Prithvi Shaw led from the front with a 94-run knock and shared a 180-run stand with fellow opener Manjot Kalra (86) to power India to a challenging 328/7.
There was no respite for the Australians even after the openers departed, with Shubman Gill tormenting the bowlers with his 63-run knock.
India pacers Kamlesh Nagrakoti (3/29) and Shivam Mavi (3/45) then impressed with their speed and shared six wickets between them to shot out Australia for 228 in 42.5 overs.
Nagarkoti hit the deck consistently at a speed in the range of 145kmph and above and was well supported by Mavi, who also clocked 145 at times. The two pacers tested Australians with their nagging off-stump line.
Australia opener Jack Edwards top-scored for his side with a 73-run knock after a steady start with Max Bryant (29) but struggled to find support from others.
Jonathan Merlo (38) tried his best in the middle order and stumper Baxtor Holt (39) resisted in a rearguard fight but both were undone by Mavi.
India next play Papua New Guinea.
The splendid top-order batting vindicated Shaw’s decision to bat in their tournament-opener.
It was not that Shaw and Kalra plundered boundaries; instead, they raised their knocks with some stupendous risk-free batting.
Shaw, though, missed out on a century by six runs as he was caught behind off Will Sutherland, son of Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland.
The Indian captain faced 100 balls and scored eight boundaries, including two sixes, in his knock.
