Having already secured their quarter-finals berth in the ICC Under-19 cricket World Cup, a confident India will aim to continue their winning momentum when they face Zimbabwe in their final Group B tie here on Friday.
The three-time champions are on a roll in the ongoing edition having thrashed past champions Australia by 100 runs in the opener before outclassing minnows Papua New Guinea by 10 wickets in the second game.
India's top-order batsmen, led by skipper Prithvi Shaw, are in sublime form and are yet to be tested under difficult situations.
The batsmen are expected to make merry against Zimbabwe's attack, plundered by the Australians during their seven-wicket win on Wednesday.
India's bowling unit look a complete package with fast bowlers Kamlesh Nagrakoti and Shivam Mavi impressing everyone with their raw pace and would be interesting to see if coach Rahul Dravid fields them again or keeps them fresh for the quarter-finals.
Vidarbha bowler Aditya Thakare, called as a cover for an injured Ishan Porel, might get a chance. Porel is nursing a bruised left heal and was replaced by Arshdeep Singh in the match against PNG.
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The spin department is being spearheaded by left-arm spinner Anukul Roy, who single-handedly brought the downfall of the PNG batsmen in the second game.
India have never lost a game to Zimbabwe in any of their previous four encounters and look most likely to join Australia as the two sides from Group B in the quarter-finals.
Teams:
India: Prithvi Shaw (Captain), Shubman Gill, Aryan Juyal, Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, Harvik Desai, Manjot Kalra, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Pankaj Yadav, Riyan Parag, Himanshu Rana, Anukul Roy, Shivam Mavi, Shiva Singh.
Zimbabwe: Liam Roche (Captain), Robert Chimhinya, Jonathan Connolly, Alistair Frost, Taun Harrison, Wesley Madhevere, Tanunurwa Makoni, Donald Mlambo, Tinashe Nenhunzi, Nkosilatu Nunu, Kieran Robinson, Jayden Schadendorf and Milton Shumba.
--IANS
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