Watch: Saumy Pandey completed a hat-trick for India Under-19s against Afghanistan Under-19s at Johannesburg.

Ahead of the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa, the hosts are holding a triangular tournament at Old Edwardians Cricket Club A Ground in Johannesburg. India and Afghanistan are the other two teams involved.

In the first match, Hassan Eisakhil, Mohammad Nabi’s son, raced to his fifty off 32 balls, and eventually made 54 in 40 balls with four fours and four sixes.

Afghanistan, 85-2 at the fall of Eisakhil’s wicket, added another eight runs before Madhya Pradesh left-arm spinner Saumy Pandey, bowling from around the wicket, tossed the third ball of the over up to the left-handed Jamshid Zadran, who tried to flick the ball, missed it, and was given out leg-before.

Drinks were taken after that wicket. When play resumed, Numan Shah tried an almighty hoick off the next ball, but could not clear the long-on fielder. Pandey’s next ball was fast, and caught Rahimullah Zurmati inside the crease. The entire Indian team appealed and got the leg-before decision in their favour.

The hat-trick completed, Pandey now bowled a dot ball against Nasir Hassan. At the other end, Murugan Abhishek conceded two singles. Nasir went for a wild slog off the first ball of the next over, and was bowled, to make it four wickets in five balls for Pandey.

Afghanistan slipped to 95-6 before Sohail Khan took them to 198. Two subsequent wickets helped Pandey finish with 6-29, the fourth-best figures for India in Youth ODIs, after Irfan Pathan’s 9-16, Abu Nechim Ahmed’s 6-9, and Kamal Passi’s 6-23. He went unsold at the IPL 2024 auction ten days ago.

Allah Ghazanfar then reduced India to 71-4 in response before Adarsh Singh (102 not out in 107 balls) and Musheer Khan (39 not out) saw them home inside 37 overs.

Watch Saumy Pandey complete a hat-trick against Afghanistan Under-19s:

First wicket

Second wicket

Third wicket

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