India ended their group stage commitments with a mammoth 326-run victory over minnows Uganda after blistering centuries from Raj Bawa and opener Angkrish Raghuvanshi powered them to a huge 405/5 in their inconsequential final Group B match of the ICC U-19 Men’s World Cup 2022 in Tarouba, Trinidad on Saturday. (More Cricket News)
Having already sealed a quarterfinal spot despite missing five players owing to COVID-19, including skipper Yash Dhull, record four-time champions India meant business as Bawa and Raghuvanshi took the Uganda attack to the cleaners.
This is the highest total in this edition of the tournament. India's highest score in the ICC U-19 Men’s World Cup remains 425 for 3 set against Scotland in 2004, while Australia hold the world record score of 480 for 6 against Kenya in 2002.
Invited to bat, opener Raghuvanshi scored 144 off 120 balls while Bawa remained unbeaten on 162 off just 108 deliveries. The duo shared 206 runs for the third wicket to take the game away from Uganda.
While Raghuvanshi hit 22 fours and four sixes, Bawa decorated his innings with 14 fours and as many as eight hits over the fence. After Raghuvanshi's departure, Bawa continued with his attacking instinct and clobbered the Uganda bowlers to all parts of the ground.
In the process, Bawa became India’s highest individual run-scorer surpassing senior batter Shikhar Dhawan’s 155 not out, which he scored against Scotland in 2004. It was one-way traffic as the Uganda bowlers had no answers to the Indian onslaught.
For Uganda, Pascal Murungi picked up three wickets for 72 runs. In reply, India skipper Nishant Sandhu picked up 4/19 as Uganda were bowled out for a paltry 79 in 19.4 overs with Murungi fighting a lone battle with 34.
Uganda’s challenge got even tougher as opener Isaac Ategeka was forced to retire having been struck on the forearm by a Rajvardhan Hangargekar delivery. The right-arm seamer then dismissed his replacement Cyrus Kakuru for a first-ball duck off the final ball of an eventful first over.
The 326-run victory is India’s largest at an ICC U-19 Men’s World Cup, and the second-highest ever, and sets them up for a replay of the 2020 final against Bangladesh, while Uganda will face the UAE in the plate quarterfinals.
