England Triumphs Over India in Final Warm-Up Ahead of U19 World Cup 2026

India faced a 20-run defeat against England via the DLS Method on Monday at the Bulawayo Athletic Club during their final warm-up match ahead of the 2026 Under-19 World Cup.

In a rain-affected match, England, led by captain Thomas Rew’s unbeaten 71 off 66 balls, reached 196 for three when play stopped at 34.3 overs, well ahead of the par-score of 177.

India began their defense of 295 runs with a bright start, as Henil Patel dismissed opener Ben Dawkins in the second over. However, Joseph Moores and Ben Mayes steadied England’s innings with a 77-run partnership for the second wicket.

Khilan Patel’s left-arm orthodox bowling dismantled both batsmen, reducing England to 104 for three by the 19th over. Nonetheless, Rew took charge, hitting six fours and three sixes, to steer England home, aided by Caleb Falconer’s important 29 off 43 balls.

Earlier, India opted to bat after winning the toss. Ayush Mhatre’s 49 off 40 was the only significant contribution at the top as India struggled, with Vaibhav Suryavanshi getting out for one, and Vihaan Malhotra and Vedant Trivedi scoring 10 and 14 respectively.

At 79 for four after Mhatre’s dismissal by James Minto, India seemed in trouble. Abhigyan Kundu’s vital 82 and R.S. Ambrish’s 48 rescued the innings, sharing a fifth-wicket stand of 97 runs. Kanishk Chouhan’s quick 45 off 36 balls helped India post a challenging total of 295 for eight. James Minto proved the standout bowler for England, taking five wickets for 34 runs in eight overs.

Looking ahead, India will take on the USA in their opening match on January 15 at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, while England will meet Pakistan on January 16 in Harare.

Brief Scores:
India Under-19: 295/8 in 50 overs (Ayush Mhatre 49, Abhigyan Kundu 82, R.S. Ambrish 48, Kanishk Chouhan 45 not out; James Minto 5/34)
England Under-19: 196/3 in 34.3 overs (Joseph Moores 46, Ben Mayes 34, Thomas Rew 71 not out)
Toss: India Under-19

Published on January 12, 2026