(ICC) – Left-arm spinner Anukul Roy took four for 20 and Shubman Gill scored an unbeaten 90 to help India fashion a 10-wicket victory over Zimbabwe as the ICC U-19 World cup continued in New Zealand.
In other matches, opener Nathan McSweeney slammed 156 and fast bowler Jason Ralston produced a record haul of seven for 15 as Australia thumped Papua New Guinea by 311 runs.
Both former champions progressed to the Super League quarterfinals from Group B on the seventh day of tournament.
Also joining in the Super League quarterfinals were former champions Pakistan who defeated Sri Lanka by three wickets in a Group D match.
Pakistan will now wait for the outcome of the Afghanistan versus Ireland match on Saturday in Whangarei to find out if they will top the group or finish runners-up.
The three sides have now joined Afghanistan, England, New Zealand and South Africa, while the England and Canada match on Saturday will decide if Bangladesh also goes through to the Super League quarterfinals, which will start on Monday, 22 January.
Roy, who had finished with five wickets in the previous match against PNG, bowled an immaculate line and length as India dismissed the opposition for only 154 and got to the target in quick time with openers Shubman Gill and Aveet Desai returning unbeaten on 90 and 56, respectively.
The three-time champions finished with three wins, including a 100-run victory over Australia earlier in the league, which proved decisive in the final standings.
For Australia, who finished behind India in the group stage, Ralston ripped through the PNG batting, his seven for 15 the best-ever to date in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup and second best at the U19 level. His effort came at the back of another remarkable effort, when opener Nathan McSweeney clobbered a punishing 156 to help post a huge 370 for eight.
Scores in brief:
Group B
Australia beat PNG by 311 runs, Lincoln 3, Christchurch
Australia 370-8, 50 overs (Nathan McSweeney 156, Jason Sangha 88, Param Uppal 61; James Tau 2-42, Leke Morea 2-59, Sema Kamea 2-63, Daure Aiga 2-89)
PNG 59 all out, 24.5 overs (Jason Ralston 7-15)
Player of the match: Nathan McSweeney (Australia)
India beat Zimbabwe by 10 wickets, Bay Oval, Tauranga
Zimbabwe 154 all out, 48.1 overs (Milton Shumba 36, Liam Roche 31, Wesley Madhevere 30; Anjukul Roy 4-20, Arshdeep Singh 2-10, Abhishek Sharma 2-22).
India 155 for no loss, 21.4 overs (Shubman Gill 90 not out, Aveet Desai 56 not out)
Player of the match: Shubman Gill
Group D
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by three wickets, Cobham Oval, Whangarei
Sri Lanka 188 all out, 48.2 overs (Jehan Daniel 53, Ashen Bandara 37; Suleman Shafqat 3-29, Shaheen Afridi 2-41)
Pakistan 190-7, 43.3 overs (Ali Zaryab Asif 59, Mohammad Zaid Alam 28; Thisara Rashmika 3-47)
Player of the match: Ali Zaryab Asif
Saturday’s fixtures:
Kenya v Windies, Lincoln 3, Christchurch (Group A)
New Zealand v South Africa, Bay Oval, Tauranga (Group A)
Canada v England, John Davies Oval, Queenstown (Group C)
Afghanistan v Ireland, Cobham Oval, Whangarei (Group D)