In an authoritative show, Indian colts trounced Australia by a massive 100-run margin in their ICC Under 19 World Cup opener with bowlers complementing a splendid batting performance, in Mount Maunganui, on Sunday.
Captain Prithvi Shaw led from the front with a 94-run knock and shared a 180-run stand with fellow opener Manjot Kalra (86) to power India to a challenging 328 for seven after they had elected to bat.
There was no respite for the Australians even after their departure with Shubhman Gill tormenting the bowlers with a quickfire 63.
India pacers Kamlesh Nagrakoti (3/29) and Shivam Mavi (3/45) then impressed with their speed and shared six wickets between them to shot out Australia for 228 in 42.5 overs.
Nagarkoti hit the deck consistently at a speed in the excess of 140-kmph and was well supported by Mavi, who also clocked 145 at times. The two pacers tested Australians with their nagging off-stump line.
Australia opener Jack Edwards top-scored for his side with 73 after a steady start with Max Bryant (29) but struggled to find support from others.
Jonathan Merlo (38) tried his best in the middle order and stumper Baxtor Holt (39) resisted in a rearguard fight but both were undone by Mavi.
India next play Papua New Guinea on Tuesday.
The splendid top-order batting vindicated Shaw's decision to bat in their tournament-opener.
It was not that Shaw and Klara plundered boundaries, instead they raised their knocks with some stupendous risk-free batting.
Shaw, though, missed out on a century by six runs as he was caught behind off Will Sutherland, son of Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland.
The Indian captain faced 100 balls and scored eight boundaries, including two sixes in his knock.
His opening partner also missed out on a ton, falling for 86 which came off 99 balls with 12 shots to the fence and one over the ropes.
India struggled to stitch together partnerships after their departure even as Gill kept one end solid with his attacking batting, which included six fours and a six.
The middle order batsmen lost their wickets, trying to accelerate the run-rate as Himanshu Rana (14) and Anukul Roy (6) fell cheaply.
Abhishek Sharma though managed to come up with, smashing 23 from just eigt balls, which propelled India past the 300-run mark. He hit two sixes and as many fours.
As Indian batsmen looked for some quick runs, Australian medium fast bowler Jack Edwards ended up taking four wickets. It was Edwards, who dismissed Rana and then later added wickets of Abhishek and Shiva Singh (10) to his tally.
