Vaibhav Suryavanshi leads the charge as India crush Scotland by 121 runs

IND vs SCO: The Indian U19 team has made a roaring start to their campaign in Zimbabwe, securing a dominant 121-run victory (DLS method) over Scotland in their practice match on Saturday, January 10. With the Under-19 World Cup 2026 just days away, the “Boys in Blue” look in prime form, fueled by an explosive batting display and clinical bowling.

Suryavanshi Narrowly Misses a Ton

Winning the toss and batting first, India’s youngsters treated the Bulawayo crowd to a run-fest, amassing a massive 374/8 in 50 overs.

The showstopper was undoubtedly Vaibhav Suryavanshi. The young opener played a breathtaking knock, smashing 96 runs off just 50 balls. His innings was a masterclass in power-hitting, laced with 9 boundaries and 7 towering sixes. Though he fell just four runs short of a well-deserved century, his strike rate of 192 set the tone for the day.

He found great support from the middle order, Vihaan Malhotra anchored the innings beautifully with a classy 77 off 81 balls. Aaron George contributed a fluent 61 off 58 deliveries and Abhigyan Kundu provided late-innings fireworks with a brisk 55 off 48 balls.

For Scotland, Ollie Jones was the lone bright spot with the ball, picking up 4 for 70 as he tried to stem the flow of runs.

The Rain Intervention and Scotland’s Collapse

During the break, rain lashed the venue, leading to a significant delay. When play resumed, the match was drastically reduced to a T20-style contest. Under the DLS method, Scotland was handed a revised target of 234 runs in 24 overs, a mountain too high to climb.

The pressure of the massive chase got to the Scottish batters. While Theo Robinson fought a lonely battle with a 30-run knock, the rest of the lineup crumbled against India’s disciplined attack. Scotland could only manage 112/9 by the time the overs ran out.

This 121-run victory is the perfect morale booster for the Ayush Mhatre-led side. With the batting firing on all cylinders and the bowlers hitting their straps, India looks like the team to beat as they chase their sixth U19 World Cup title.