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India Posts Record U19 Chase as Yadav Sparks Senior Revival Before T20 World Cup

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  • Image caption, Sam Curran took his hat-trick in his 65th T20 international appearance for England
    Image: BBC
    Image caption, Sam Curran took his hat-trick in his 65th T20 international appearance for England Source Full size

India's U19 Side Breaks Chase Record in Semi‑Final India posted 310‑4 in 41.1 overs to defeat Afghanistan, setting the highest‑ever chase in U19 World Cup history [1]. Aaron George’s 115 off 104 balls, reached in 95 deliveries, anchored the innings alongside rapid half‑centuries from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (68) and Ayush Mhatre (62) [1]. Afghanistan’s reply of 310/4 featured centuries from Shinozada (110) and Niazal (101), but their bowlers failed to take wickets [1]. The win sends India to a final against England, marking their tenth appearance at this stage [1].

Suryakumar Yadav Ends 14‑Month Half‑Century Drought After a five‑match South Africa series that ended on 19 December 2025 with scores of 12, 5, 12 and 5, Yadav went 14 months without a fifty [2]. He used the December‑January break for intensive net work and family time, returning to open the New Zealand series with 32 off 22 balls [2]. He then produced unbeaten 82‑off‑37, 57*‑off‑26 and 63‑off‑30 innings, accumulating 242 runs at an 80.67 average and a 196.75 strike‑rate [2]. His performances earned a joint Player‑of‑the‑Series award, his sixth, second only to Virat Kohli’s record [2]. The resurgence positions India to chase back‑to‑back T20 World Cup titles and could make Yadav the third Indian captain to lift the trophy [2].

England Defends 129 to Complete 3‑0 T20 Sweep On 3 February 2026 England beat Sri Lanka by 12 runs at Pallekele, successfully defending a target of 129—the lowest total they have ever defended in T20 internationals [3]. Sam Curran contributed a career‑best 58 after England slumped to 34‑4, while spinners Jacob Bethell (4‑11) and Will Jacks (3‑14) claimed nine wickets between them [3]. Sri Lanka’s Dushmantha Chameera took five wickets (5‑24) but the hosts were bowled out for 116, extending their losing streak to England to 11 matches [3]. Coach Brendon McCullum praised the spin performance and Luke Wood’s effective spell, noting the momentum ahead of the World Cup opener on 8 February 2026 [3].

India A Posts 238/3, Jagadeesan Scores Century In a warm‑up at DY Patil Stadium on 2 February 2026, India A posted 238/3, with Narayan Jagadeesan hitting 104 off 55 balls, including 11 fours and five sixes [4]. Tilak Varma, returning from a month‑long layoff, added 38 off 24 balls and claimed a wicket in his only over [4]. Captain Ayush Badoni smashed an unbeaten 60 off 26 balls, while bowlers Shubham Ranjane, Ali Khan and Jasdeep Singh each took a wicket [4]. The USA were bowled out for 200 in 19.4 overs despite contributions from Andries Gous (44) and Sanjay Krishnamurthi (41) [4]. India A’s bowlers, led by Ravi Bishnoi (3/37) and Naman Dhir (2/6), secured the victory [4].

Sources

Timeline

1985 – England bowls a record 36 spin overs in an ODI against Pakistan in Sharjah, a benchmark later eclipsed by the 40.3 spin overs bowled at Colombo in 2026, illustrating the growing reliance on spin in limited‑overs cricket [3].

2012 – England successfully defends a low target of 129 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi, a rare achievement that underlines the significance of their 2026 low‑target defence [1].

2016 – England begins a nine‑match winning streak over Sri Lanka in T20 internationals, a run that extends into the 2026 series sweep [2].

Dec 10, 2025 – India win the first T20I against South Africa in Cuttack by 101 runs, with Abhishek Sharma dismissing Quinton de Kock early and Hardik Pandya reaching his 99th T20I wicket and 100th six, setting a dominant tone for the series [17][18].

Dec 10, 2025 – Arshdeep Singh records his 100th T20I wicket in Abu Dhabi versus Oman, becoming the first Indian to reach the milestone in just 64 matches and cementing his role as a frontline bowler for the World Cup [14].

Dec 10, 2025 – Virat Kohli climbs to No 2 in the ICC ODI batting rankings after a 65* in the series finale, narrowing the gap to Rohit Sharma and signalling his resurgence ahead of the T20 World Cup [19].

Dec 14, 2025 – India chase 117 in Dharamsala to take a 2‑1 lead in the five‑match T20I series, with Abhishek Sharma’s aggressive start and Kuldeep Yadav’s death‑over wickets sealing the win; the match records the lowest men’s T20I total at the venue [15].

Dec 14, 2025 – Arshdeep Singh endures a costly spell in New Chandigarh, conceding 54 runs in four overs without a wicket as India lose by 51 runs, prompting calls for him to rebound before the World Cup [16][14].

Dec 15, 2025 – In the same New Chandigarh fixture, Arshdeep’s 11th over goes wild with 13 balls for 18 runs and seven wides, highlighting pressure on India’s pace attack ahead of the tournament [16].

Dec 21, 2025 – Jemimah Rodrigues anchors India’s chase of 122 in Visakhapatnam, remaining unbeaten on 69 off 44 balls and cementing her claim for the No 3 slot in India’s World Cup XI [12].

Dec 27, 2025 – India lead the women’s five‑match T20I series 3‑0 against Sri Lanka, with Harmanpreet Kaur’s tactical toss decisions and Deepti Sharma’s four‑wicket haul driving the dominance; the side eyes a clean sweep in the upcoming fourth match [11].

Dec 28, 2025 – Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu becomes the first Sri Lankan woman to play 150 T20Is, marking a milestone in her prolific career while India maintains a 4‑0 series lead [10].

Dec 30, 2025 – India complete a 5‑0 whitewash of Sri Lanka Women, with Harmanpreet Kaur’s 68 and Deepti Sharma becoming the all‑time leading wicket‑taker in women’s T20Is, underscoring India’s supremacy ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup [9].

Jan 3, 2026 – India U‑19 post 301/​all out against South Africa in Benoni, recovering from 67/4 thanks to a 137‑run partnership between Harvansh Pangalia (93) and RS Ambrish (65), and win by 25 runs via DLS, setting up a semifinal clash with Pakistan [8].

Jan 22, 2026 – Sri Lanka defeat England by 19 runs in Colombo, posting 271/6 and restricting England to 252, extending England’s 11‑match ODI losing streak abroad and giving Sri Lanka a 1‑0 series lead [4].

Jan 24, 2026 – England chase 220 for five wickets at R Premadasa Stadium, achieving the first successful chase in 11 ODIs there; Harry Brook calls the surface “probably the worst” he’s ever played on, while Joe Root describes it as “very difficult” [3].

Jan 30, 2026 – Sam Curran claims England’s second T20I hat‑trick in Pallekele, dismissing Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana in the final three balls of the 16th over, and returns with a new “moon ball” after a long absence [2].

Feb 2, 2026 – India A post 238/3 to beat the USA by 38 runs in a T20 World Cup warm‑up, with Narayan Jagadeesan smashing 104 off 55 balls and Tilak Varma returning from injury to add 38 and a wicket, bolstering India’s depth ahead of the tournament [7].

Feb 3, 2026 – England clinch a 3‑0 T20I series sweep in Sri Lanka, defending a record‑low target of 129 with Sam Curran’s career‑best 58 rescuing the side from 34/4; Jacob Bethell (4‑11) and Will Jacks (3‑14) dominate with spin, and coach Brendon McCullum praises Luke Wood’s rotation and the spin unit as key for the upcoming World Cup [1].

Feb 4, 2026 – Suryakumar Yadav ends a 14‑month half‑century drought, scoring 82* off 37 balls and amassing 242 runs at 80.67 in the New Zealand series, positioning India to chase back‑to‑back T20 World Cup titles at home and aiming to join Dhoni and Rohit as the third Indian captain with a trophy [5].

Feb 4, 2026 – Aaron George scores 115 off 104 balls to lead India U‑19 to a record 310‑run chase of Afghanistan in 41.1 overs, the highest‑ever chase in the tournament and securing a final against England, showcasing the depth of India’s junior pipeline [6].

Feb 8, 2026 – England open the T20 World Cup against Nepal, carrying momentum from their Sri Lanka sweep and historic low‑target defence, while India prepare to defend their title at home later in the year, with the opening match slated for Mumbai against the United States [1].

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