India’s U19 cricket team got their 2026 ICC World Cup campaign off to a dominant start, dismantling the USA for a modest total in Bulawayo on January 15. The Ayush Mhatre-led side, already hot favourites before a ball was bowled, elected to field first and quickly put their stamp on the contest, sending five American batsmen back to the pavilion before the USA could even cross 40 runs.
India’s Bowling Dominance Stuns USA
The carnage didn’t end there. India’s young bowlers kept up the pressure, reducing USA to six wickets down before they managed to reach the 70-run mark at Queens Sports Club. The Americans simply couldn’t find an answer to the relentless attack, as the Indian pacers and spinners hunted as a pack. It was a rough welcome for USA’s youngsters, but a statement of intent from a side that’s aiming for a record-extending sixth U19 World Cup crown.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi: A New Record for India
But it wasn’t just about the team’s dominance. The match saw a slice of cricketing history when Vaibhav Suryavanshi, at just 14 years old, became the youngest player ever to represent India in a U19 World Cup. He shattered the previous record held by Canada’s Nitish Kumar, who debuted at 15 years and 245 days back in 2010. Suryavanshi’s stay at the crease was short-lived—bowled early after a bold attempt to go big—but his presence alone underlines India’s deep reservoir of youth talent.
India’s record at this level is formidable. With five U19 World Cup titles and a decade of never finishing below second, they’re the team everyone else is chasing. The current squad has already shown big-match mettle, having beaten England 3-2 away and whitewashed Australia both in one-dayers (3-0) and four-day matches (2-0) in the last 12 months. Still, after painful losses in recent ACC U19 Asia Cup finals, the pressure is on to deliver when it matters most.
The 2026 U19 World Cup is being played in Zimbabwe, with India grouped with New Zealand and Bangladesh alongside the USA. The top two teams from each Super Six group will move on to the semifinals. Indian fans can catch all the action live on JioHotstar.
With their opening match out of the way and a new record-holder in their ranks, India’s young guns have set the tone for the tournament—and sent a message to their rivals: they mean business.
