India U-19 vs USA U-19, all eyes on Vaibhav Suryavanshi:Ayush Mhatre-led Indian brigade gunning to lift sixth U-19 World Cup crown

With a record-extending sixth U-19 World Cup crown in sight, India will begin its campaign against the USA, as the most successful team in the tournament. Ayush Mhatre will be leading the India U-19 side, who have won the coveted trophy five times, and they will be up against USA in the first hurdle. Having missed out on the last edition in 2024, when they lost to Australia in the summit showdown, India, who have won the trophy in 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2022 besides 2018, will be keen to add a sixth title to their tally this time around. The squad looks balanced and formidable on paper, and 13 wins in their last 16 matches, including series victories in England, Australia and South Africa, clearly show that the team knows how to win, more importantly, away from home. Also read: ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026, all you need to know: 16 teams to play 41 matches, India have won 5 titles Spearheading the Indian challenge will be wunderkind Vaibhav Suryavanshi, skipper Ayush Mhatre, vice-captain Vihaan Malhotra, and top-order player Aaron George, who was the top-scorer for his side with 228 runs in the last U-19 Asia Cup, where arch-rivals Pakistan stunned them in the summit clash. IND vs USA, U-19 World Cup 2026 match details Venue: Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo Time: 1:00 PM IST (Toss at 12:30 PM) Where to follow: Star Sports/JioHotstar/Bhaskar English App Vaibhav Suryavanshi in the spotlight At just 14 years old, Suryavanshi is already one of the most talked-about young cricketers in the world, having first made headlines with an electrifying 35-ball century in the Indian Premier League’s 2025 season. Apart from his brutal hitting, the youngster has also started to contribute with the ball, picking up wickets as well. As far as pace bowling is concerned, pacer Deepesh Devendran could be the X-factor for the side, his awkward action expected to play a part in his success. Also read: Virat Kohli dethrones Rohit Sharma, becomes number-1 ranked ODI batter: Hitman slips to third place, Kohli climbs to top spot 11th time in his career India gunning for sixth U-19 World Cup crown RS Ambrish bowls at a good pace and also has the ability to make useful contributions with the bat. Kishan Singh and Henil Patel are the other two pacers in the team. Utkarsh Srivastava, the USA captain, is known for his big hitting, but with the Indian team in good form, they should be able to pick up a comfortable win in the tournament opener. India have been placed in Group B alongside New Zealand, USA, and Bangladesh. After the game against USA, India will face Bangladesh on January 17 and New Zealand on January 24 at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.