Gill’s 76 and Shwethan’s 52 Power USA U19 to Victory Over Canada
USA Under-19 produced a strong all-round performance to defeat Canada Under-19 by 65 runs in the well-contested ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Americas Qualifier, 2025 encounter. Anchored by a patient half-century from Amrinder Gill and boosted by a late flourish from wicketkeeper-batter Saharsh Shwethan, the USA side set a competitive total before their bowlers sealed the victory with disciplined spells.
Winning the toss and batting first, USA Under-19 lost Sahil Garg early, run out for 2 in the third over. Utkarsh Srivastava looked promising with 15 off 14 balls, but his dismissal to captain Yuvraj Samra left the USA at 28 for 2. From there, opener Amrinder Gill took control, playing a measured knock of 76 from 144 deliveries, striking six fours and one six.
Gill found brief support from Adnit Jhamb (30 off 56) before captain Arjun Mahesh injected momentum with a brisk 49 off 52 balls. However, the real acceleration came from Saharsh Shwethan, who smashed 52 off just 31 deliveries, including four fours and three sixes, at a strike rate of 167.74. His counter-attacking innings helped USA push their total to 236 for 6 in 50 overs. For Canada, Yuvraj Samra was the most effective bowler with 2 for 37 from nine overs, while Krishh Misra was economical with 1 for 29 in 10 overs.
In reply, Canada Under-19 never really found the momentum needed for the chase. They suffered an early setback when captain Yuvraj Samra fell for 7, caught off Utkarsh Srivastava in the fourth over. Tanvir Singh (30) and Dharm Patel (23) attempted to rebuild but could not convert their starts into match-defining scores. At 69 for 4, the chase looked increasingly difficult.
Middle-order batter Jagmandeep Paul resisted with 35 from 73 balls, while Rohan Sikri added 34 from 53 deliveries, but the steady fall of wickets ensured the required run rate kept climbing. A spell of three wickets for 21 runs in 10 overs from Adit Kappa broke Canada’s middle order, while Srivastava also claimed 3 for 32 to tighten the screws.
Lower-order resistance from Toby Cox (11 not out) and Ayaz Sahibi (7) wasn’t enough as Canada finished on 171 for 9 after their 50 overs. USA’s bowlers, led by Kappa and Srivastava, maintained control throughout, supported by tight spells from Shiv Shani (0 for 27 in 9 overs) and Ansh Rai (1 for 40 in 10 overs).
With this win, USA Under-19 demonstrated depth in both batting and bowling. Gill’s patient innings set the platform, Shwethan’s late fireworks provided the boost, and the disciplined bowling attack ensured a well-earned victory over their rivals from the north.
