Shoddy batting by top-order saw the Unmukt Chand-led India U-19 side lose their opening World Cup match to the West Indies by four wickets on Sunday.
On a slow track at the Tony Ireland stadium, the Indian colts could never get going and were restricted to a paltry 166 for eight in their stipulated 50 overs.
Despite early hiccups, the West Indies slowly but surely reached the target with 17 balls to spare.
John Campbell (36, 70 balls, 1x4, 1x6) and Anthony Alleyne (52, 91 balls, 2x4, 1x6) added 58 runs for the third wicket to put West Indies on track while Alleyne and Kyle Mayers (43, 54 balls, 4x4,1x6) added another 58 for the fifth wicket to consolidate further.
It was India's poor performance with the bat that led to this heart-breaking defeat.
A lot depended on skipper Chand (22, 61 balls, 3x4) but he failed to get going as the track was not conducive for a free-flowing stroke player like him.
Left-arm medium pacer Jerome Jones (2/23), Ronsford Beaton (3/33) and Kyle Mayers(2/35) shared the bulk of the spoils between them. Losing three quick wickets in the first fifteen overs also pegged India back.
Prashant Chopra (1), Baba Aparajith (5) and the talented Hanuman Vihari (8) were dismissed cheaply as India were struggling at 34 for three. Chand followed suit as he edged one to keeper Sunil Ambris off Mayers's bowling as India were left tottering at 50 for four.
Zol (26, 52 balls,1x4) and wicket-keeper batsman Smit Patel (51, 99 balls 5x4) then added 41 runs for the fifth wicket while Patel and Akshdeep Nath (19, 32 balls) added a further 44 runs for the sixth wicket as India managed to cross the 150-run mark.
Mayers, who was adjudged player of the match, later said: "India had some quality spinners and I thought they bowled really well with great variation. I tried to bowl as tight as possible to create some pressure and eventually it worked out.
"There is always room for improvement; I would have liked to bat right through to the end.
"It is always good to start with a win and we would like to keep winning as a habit and continue on and win all of our games," he said.
England beat Ireland by seven wickets
England bounced back from its loss to Australia on the opening day of the tournament to beat Ireland by seven wickets. The Irish batting line-up failed to fire with the English bowlers making light work of its top order, dismissing the side in the 42nd over.
Tyrone Kane (28) and George Dockrell (26) were the best of the Irish batsmen, contributing over half of the modest total of 109 set for England to chase.
Left-arm quick Reece Topley was dynamic with the ball, finishing the day with the impressive figures of three for 14 from nine overs to later collect the player of the match award.
England lost its openers early. But the Irish bowling attack could not stop England from patiently chipping away to surpass the total in the 36th over.
South Africa rout Bangladesh by 133 runs
The experience of 12 first-class, 18 List A and 17 T20 games helped South Africa's opener and wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock to stay focussed as he helped his side to a one-sided victory over Bangladesh at Allan Border Field in Brisbane.
De Kock's knock of 95 (93b, 9x4, 2x6) was the mainstay of South Africa's total of 294 for eight but the 19-year-old from Johannesburg admitted afterwards he had been feeling the pressure coming into their opening game of the tournament.
"I'm still getting used to the conditions. The pitches are not very different to home, maybe it is a bit bouncier here.
"There are pressures of playing in a competition like this one. Playing first class cricket has helped me but the level we are playing at here is not much different to that."
Together with Theunis de Bruyn (63; 54b, 8x4, 2x6), de Kock added 52 runs for the third wicket after de Kock had put on 70 runs for the second wicket with Shaylin Pillay (27).
Chasing South Africa's total of 294 for eight, Bangladesh was unable to replicate its good batting form from the opening day's win over Sri Lanka, and was dismissed for 161 from 34.3 overs.
Moore, a late replacement for the usual South Africa spearhead Rabian Engelbrecht who was injured two days before the squad left for Australia, took three for 44 from 10 overs today.
"Rabian was important to us but we have covered his loss pretty well, with Vincent, and Lizaad Williams doing a good job for us today,'' de Kock said.
Williams did not take a wicket but his no wickets for 28 from seven overs ensured the Bangladesh top order was not able to get a flying start to its run chase.
New Zealand's Will Young leads from the front
A man of the match effort by captain Will Young was just the ticket for New Zealand as it overcame qualifiers Scotland by 39 runs at John Blanck Oval. Scotland captain Paddy Saddler won the toss and invited New Zealand to bat.
With New Zealand openers Joe Carter (12, 20b, 2x4) and Michael Davidson (20, 49b, 3x4) back in the sheds at the score of 61 for two, Saddler would have felt somewhat vindicated by his call.
But his NZ counterpart had other ideas, and forged a match-deciding 115 (111b, 5x4, 3x6) to steer his side to 247 for nine after the 50 overs.
Young, who has played four-first class matches for Central Districts, and Robert O'Donnell (50, 75b, 3x4) were solid against the willing Scottish attack, led by right-arm medium-pacer Ruaidhri Smith, who finished three for 34 from 10 overs with two maidens.
Scotland mounted a gallant challenge, with Freddy Coleman (65, 80b, 5x4, 1x6) impressive but they fell short by 39 runs after dismissed for 208 in the 47th over.
New Zealand seamer Connor Neynens caught the eye with three for 24 from10 overs, including one maiden.
Scores in brief:
Group A - England beat Ireland by seven wickets, Endeavour Park 1
Ireland 109 all out, 42.2 overs (Tyrone Kane 28, George Dockrell 26; Reece Topley 3-14)
England 113 for three, 36.2 overs (Ben Foakes 32, Aneesh Kapil 31 not out, Craig Overturn 26 not out)
Player of the match Reece Topley (England)
Group B - New Zealand beat Scotland by 39 runs at John Blanck Oval, Sunshine Coast
New Zealand 247 for nine, 50 overs (Will Young 115, Robert O'Donnell 50; Ruaidhri Smith 3-34, Aman Bailwal 2-53, Patrick Sadler 2-55)
Scotland 208 all out, 46.5 overs (Freddie Coleman 65, Ross McLean 36; Connor Neynens 3-24, Ish Sodhi 3-35, Henry Walsh 2-51)
Player of the match Will Young (New Zealand)
Group C - West Indies beat India by six wickets at Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
India 166 for eight, 50 overs (Smit Patel 51, Vijay Zol 26, Unmukt Chand 22; Ronsford Beaton 3-33, Jerome Jones 2-23, Kyle Mayers 2-35)
West Indies 167 for six, 47.1 overs (Anthony Alleyne 52, Kyle Mayers 43, John Campbell 36; Harmeet Singh 3-35, Sandeep Sharma 2-27
Player of the match - Kyle Mayers (West Indies)
Group D - South Africa beat Bangladesh by 133 runs at Allan Border Field, Brisbane
South Africa 294 for eight, 50 overs (Quinton de Kock 95, Thenuis de Bruyn 63, Murray Coetzee 29, Shaylin Pillay 27; Noor Hossain 3-44, Nasum Ahmed 3-45)
Bangladesh 161 all out, 34.3 overs (Anamul Haque 39, Al-Amin 33, Nurul Hasan 27; Vincent Moore 3-44, Shaylin Pillay 2-4, Corne Dry 2-34)
Player of the match Quinton de Kock (South Africa)
Monday's fixtures:
* Group A - Australia v Nepal, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
Group B - Pakistan v Scotland, Kev Hackney Oval, Sunshine Coast
Group C - PNG v West Indies, Endeavour Park No 1, Townsville
Group D - Namibia v Sri Lanka, Allan Border Field, Brisbane
Tuesday's fixtures:
Group A Australia v Ireland, Endeavour Park 1, Townsville
Group B New Zealand v Afghanistan, Kev Hackney Oval, Sunshine Coast
*Group C India v Zimbabwe, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
Group D South Africa v Namibia, Peter Burge Oval, Brisbane
