India U19 faced Zimbabwe U19 in a Super Six contest of the U19 World Cup today, January 27, 2026. Zimbabwe U19 chose to bowl first, giving India U19 the opportunity to set the tone with the bat.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi provided a confident start, dictating terms from the outset with a breathtaking 24-ball half-century. Suryavanshi has been a standout batter for India, and came into this match with high expectations to convert his promise into a substantial innings. He has been one of India's top performers thus far in the tournament. In previous matches, Suryavanshi had a similarly explosive start against Australia U19, scoring 38 runs from 22 balls.
However, Zimbabwe's Tatenda Chimugoro disrupted India's momentum by dismissing Suryavanshi and later claiming Vedant Trivedi as his third victim. With the fall of early wickets, Vihaan Malhotra and Abhigyan Kundu took on the responsibility of rebuilding the innings in the middle overs. India U19 needed stability in the middle overs after the loss of Suryavanshi's wicket.
Abhigyan Kundu has been a consistent performer for India U19, entering the match as the side's leading run-scorer with 122 runs in three innings. In a previous match against the USA U19, Kundu demonstrated his ability to perform under pressure, guiding India to victory with a "sensational knock". Vihaan Malhotra has also shown promise, although he fell to a slip catch in the USA U19 match after appearing "a bit too finicky".
India U19 won all three of their games in the group stage. In their last game against New Zealand U19, they clinched a comprehensive victory by 7 wickets (DLS Method). Seamer RS Ambrish was the star of that game, taking a four-wicket haul.
The team has been buoyed by a balanced squad that has shown assurance with both bat and ball. Their batting unit has relied on a solid top order to lay strong foundations, while the middle order has provided stability and finishing power. With the ball, India boast variety and depth. The pace attack has been effective with the new ball, extracting movement and bounce, while the spinners have played a key role through the middle overs by applying pressure and picking up timely wickets. Sharp fielding and disciplined execution have further strengthened their performances. Indian pacer Henil Patel is among the leading wicket-takers of this World Cup with nine scalps.
Zimbabwe U19 will view the match as an opportunity to test themselves against elite opposition.
