Suryavanshi Stars As India Take Unassailable Lead In Youth Odis With 51-Run Win Over Australia

(MENAFN- IANS) Brisbane, Sep 24 (IANS) Powered by standout batting performances from Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Vihaan Malhotra, and Abhigyan Kundu, along with skipper Ayush Mhatre taking a three-fer, India clinched an unassailable lead in the Youth ODI series against Australia with a commanding 51-run victory at the Ian Healy Oval here on Wednesday.

Pushed into batting first, Kundu top-scored with 71 off 64 balls, while Suryavanshi and Malhotra hit knocks of 70 each for India to post 300 in 49.4 overs. In reply, Jayden Draper hit 107 off 72 balls, but Mhatre's 3-27, along with Kanishk Chouhan taking 2-50, meant Australia were bowled out for 249 in 47.2 overs.

India suffered an early setback as skipper Mhatre was dismissed for a duck on the second ball of the innings. Suryavanshi was sedate at the start, scoring just nine off his first 29 deliveries before breaking free with a four and six off seamer John James.

He quickly brought up his fifty with a six off Kasey Barton and went on to score 70 off 68 balls, a knock laced with five fours and six sixes. Suryavanshi shared a 117-run stand with Malhotra, who also contributed 70 off 74 balls, laced with seven fours and a six.

The innings also saw Suryavanshi break the record for most sixes in Youth ODIs, surpassing Unmukt Chand's tally of 38. Suryavanshi, 14, now has 41 sixes from just 10 innings, after establishing himself as the youngest and fastest centurion in Youth ODIs earlier this year.

Wicketkeeper Kundu added further momentum to India's innings with a brisk 71 off 64 balls, laced with five fours and two sixes, as he helped India reach 300 before being bowled out with two balls unused in their innings.

In reply, Australia were bundled out for 249, falling short despite Draper having a 112-run stand with Aryan Sharma. Mhatre, who didn't trouble the scorers with the bat, made amends with the ball, claiming three wickets in four overs of part-time spin. With a 2–0 lead in the three-match series, India will be aiming to make it 3-0 with the final game to be played on Friday.

Brief scores:

India 300all out in 49.4 overs (Abhigyan Kundu 71, Vaibhav Suryavanshi 70; Will Bryom 3-47, Yash Deshmukh 2-31) beat Australia 249 all out in 47.4 overs (Jayden Draper 107, Aryan Sharma 38; Ayush Mhatre 3-27, Kanishk Chouhan 2-50) by 51 runs

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