U-19 Asia Cup: Skipper Amaan's 122 not out helps India U-19 thrash Japan by 211 runs

Sharjah, Dec 2 (IANS) Skipper Mohammed Amaan struck an unbeaten century while Ayush Mhatre and K.P Karthikeya scored half-centuries as India U-19 put up a massive score and then strangled Japan U-19 by 211 runs in a Group A match of the U-19 Asia Cup at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium here on Monday.

With this win, India U-19 recovered from their league-stage defeat to archrival Pakistan and maintained their chances in the event.

Amaan, the eventual Player of the Match, blasted 122 not out off 118 balls, hitting seven fours while opener Ayush Mhatre hammered a 29-ball 54 and Karthikeya scored 57 runs off 49 balls studded with five fours and a six as India U-19 dominated the bowling to post 339/6 in 50 overs after Japan U-19 won the toss and elected to bowl first.

Mhatre and his 13-year-old opening partner Vaibhav Suryavanshi raised 65 runs for the first wicket in the eighth over before the latter was caught by Timothy Moore off Charles Hinze. Mhatre was caught by Abe off pacer Aarav Tiwari with the score reading 81.

Skipper Amaan and Karthikeya then came together for a productive partnership of 122 runs for the third wicket that took India to 261 just before the slog overs. Karthikeya was caught by Moore off Hugo Kelly.

Amaan continued to keep piling runs while Hardik Raj struck an unbeaten 25 off 12 balls as India posted a massive 339/6. For Japan U-19, Hugo Kelly (2-42) and Kiefer Yamamoto-Lake (2-84) were the most successful bowlers.

Chasing a big target, Japan U-19 made a good start with Hugo Kelly and Nihar Parmar putting on 50 runs for the first wicket. Parmar was out for 14 but Kelly scored a slow half-century, his 50 runs coming off 111 balls.

Japan U-19 then lost some quick wickets and though Charles Hinze scored an unbeaten 35, the other batters came a cropper against the disciplined Indian bowling.

Pacer Chetan Sharma (2-14), Karthikeya (2-21) and Hardik Raj 2-9 off eight overs applied the brakes and dismantled the Japan U-19 middle order and they could manage only 128/8 in their 50 overs to lose the match by a massive 211 runs.

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