Left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh's spell of five for 32, after fine performances by the top-order batsman, helped India register a 52-run victory over Afghanistan in a warm-up match of the Under-19 Cricket World Cup on Wednesday.
Batting first, India posted a competitive 271 for seven in 50 overs, and then bowled out Afghanistan for 219 in 46.2 at the Fred Kratzman Oval.
Baba Aparajith held the innings together and top-scored with (83 off 75 balls; 5x4, 2x6).
The foundation for India's total was, however, laid by openers Prashant Chopra (67 off 90b; 5x4, 1x6) and skipper Unmukt Chand (70 off 61b; 6x4, 3x6). Both added 126 runs for the first wicket.
Shabir Noori (4-45) and skipper Javed Ahmadi (2-42) were the most impressive Afghanistan bowlers.
Noori (62 off 74b, 5x4) and Ahmadi (50 off 40b, 7x4, 1x6) played key roles with the bat as well as Afghanistan progressed to 136 for two.
But, thereafter, Harmeet spun a web around the Afghanistan middle and lower-order, to help his side emerge comfortable winners.
Brief scores:
India 271 for seven in 50 overs (Prashant Chopra 67, Unmukt Chand 70, Baba Aparajith 83; Shabir Noori 4-45, Javed Ahmadi 2-42).
Afghanistan 219 all out in 46.2 overs (Javed Ahmadi 50, Shabir Noori 62; Harmeet Singh 5-32).
