U-19 WC: Ravikant's fiver helps India enter quarters

Medium pacer Ravikant Singh returned with a five-for as Indian colts thumped minnows Papua New Guinea by 107 runs to enter the quarter-finals of the Under-19 Cricket World Cup, in Townsville, Australia.

Ravikant produced a fine seam bowling display to bundle out Papua New Guinea for meagre 97 runs in 32 overs in pursuit of a victory target of 204 set by India.

The 18-year-old pacer from Kolkata first accounted for wicket-keeper batsman Dogodo Bau before dismissing Vagi Oala and Sese Bau in quick succession to leave the opponents tottering at 54 for five in the 19th over.

Ravikant then claimed Chad Sopar and Kabua Vagi Morea on alternate deliveries of his ninth over to finish with impressive figures of five for 21 from his nine overs.

Kamal Passi and Baba Aprajith claimed two wickets each while Vikas Mishra claimed one wicket.

For Papua New Guinea, the only notable contribution came from the blade of Charles Amini (28) and Christopher Kent (27).

India's batting woes in the tournament, however, continued as they were bundled out for 204 in 46 overs after electing to bat earlier in the day.

Had it not been for a 72-run knock from Vijay Zol and a well constructed 58 from Prashant Chopra, India would have struggled to even cross the 200-run mark.

The only other useful contribution came from wicketkeeper Smit Patel (30).

The Indian colts got an early jolt when skipper Unmukt Chand (4) returned to the hut in the second over. Aparajith (14) and Hanuma Vihari (6) followed suit without contributing much and with Chopra falling in the 23rd over, it was left to Zol and Patel to take India to a respectability total.

The pair stitched together a partnership of 82-runs for the sixth wicket before Patel perished in the 39th over. The tail-enders also could not contribute much to the India total.

Brief scores: India: 204 all-out (Vijay Zol 72, Prashant Chopra 58; Chad Soper 5/32, Toua Tom 2/26).

Papua New Guinea: 97 all-out (Charles Amini 28, Christopher Kent 27; Ravikant Singh 5/21, Kamal Passi 2/18).