Captain of Ind U19 and Eng U19 with match officials at the toss. Image Credit: BCCI on X (formerly Twitter)

Northampton – In a gripping finish, England Under-19 pulled off a thrilling one-wicket win over India Under-19 in the second Youth ODI at the County Ground, leveling the five-match series 1–1.

Chasing a competitive target of 291, England had a shaky start, losing early wickets and slipping to 47 for 3. But skipper Thomas Rew played a captain’s knock under pressure, smashing a sensational 131 off just 89 balls. His innings, filled with 16 boundaries and 6 sixes, turned the game on its head and featured the fastest U19 ODI century for England, coming off just 73 balls.

Rew was well supported by Rocky Flintoff, who added a valuable 39 in a crucial 123-run partnership that steadied England’s innings. But after their dismissals, India clawed their way back into the contest.

Right-arm pacer RS Ambrish led the Indian bowling attack with figures of 4 for 80, while Yudhajit Guha chipped in with two wickets. With wickets falling rapidly, the match came down to the final over. Sebastian Morgan held his nerve with an unbeaten 20 and was aided by Alex French, who stayed calm to help England cross the finish line with just three balls remaining.

Earlier in the day, India U19 posted 290 all out in their 50 overs. Vihan Malhotra top-scored with 49, while Rahul Kumar (47), Vaibhav Suryavanshi (45), and Kanishk Chouhan (45) contributed solid knocks in the middle order. However, they missed the opportunity to push past 300, which might have made the difference.

Alex French, who later helped win the match with the bat, was also the pick of England’s bowlers, finishing with 4 for 71.

Match Summary:

  • India U19: 290 all out in 50 overs
    • Top scorers: Vihan Malhotra 49, Rahul Kumar 47, Vaibhav Suryavanshi 45
    • Best bowler: Alex French 4 for 71
  • England U19: 291 for 9 in 49.3 overs
    • Top scorer: Thomas Rew 131
    • Best bowler (India): RS Ambrish 4 for 80

Looking Ahead:

With the series now level at 1–1, both teams will look to regroup ahead of the third Youth ODI. England have momentum, but India’s fightback with the ball shows they’re not going down without a fight.

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