Bulawayo, Jan 25 (IANS) India captain Ayush Mhatre said his team is growing in confidence with each outing and have shown they are mature enough to adapt to different situations in the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup.

India, the five-time champions, extended their unbeaten run with a commanding seven-wicket win over New Zealand in a rain-hit group stage clash on Saturday. The result ensured they carried maximum points into the Super Six phase of the tournament.

“The whole tournament has been really nice, and the boys have really played well and shown the character that shows strong attitude also. Because it was not easy for us also because the rain was interrupting the game (against New Zealand), but credit goes to the boys that they held to the game plan and bowled really nicely.

“The boys are really mature enough to adapt to the (different) situations, and they have played more cricket like this. They are mature enough to take the situation and just back their basics,” Mhatre was quoted as saying by ICC on Sunday.

India will face tougher tests during the Super Six stage when they take on co-hosts Zimbabwe (January 27) and arch-rivals Pakistan (February 1). India will also take heart from skipper Mhatre’s timely return to form, as the right-hander top-scored with 53 in the chase against New Zealand.

His knock came after opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smacked a fluent 40, as the duo, along with Vihaan Malhotra and Vedant Trivedi, guided the five-time champions to their target of 130 with authority.

For Mhatre, it was his first significant innings of the tournament following modest returns of 19 and six against the USA and Bangladesh. “Just watch the ball closely and just play as a merit of the ball. That was simple plan,” he added.

–IANS

nr/bc