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Call: India Under-19 will take on Bangladesh Under-19 in their second group stage match of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2026 at the Queen’s Sports Club here on Saturday. After a stellar start to the tournament, the boys in blue are favorites to continue their impressive run of form, with fans eagerly watching Heinil Patel, whose stellar performance in the opening match has grabbed the headlines.

In their opening game against the US, India U19 braved rain-affected conditions to chase a revised target of 96 runs. Captain Ayush Mhatre and vice-captain Vaibhav Suryavanshi were dismissed cheaply, but wicketkeeper-batsman Abhigyan Kundu scored an unbeaten 42 off 41 balls to lead India to a 6-wicket win. But, the most talked about thing was 18-year-old Henil Patel, who destroyed America’s batting lineup. He took 5 wickets for 16 runs in 7 overs.

He showed fast, accurate and calm bowling beyond his age. Cricket fans and experts have described it as one of the best bowling performances ever in the tournament. The Indian team, which has several IPL-capped players, is being considered one of the strongest teams in the competition. Apart from Heinil, bowlers like Deepesh Devendran and RS Ambareesh have also impressed with disciplined spells, while the batting order under Mhatre’s captaincy promises aggressive intent.

Bangladesh U19, on the other hand, have come up with a different story. The 2020 champions, who defeated India in that historic final, have not had a good preparation for this tournament. They suffered a heavy semi-final defeat to Pakistan in the U19 Asia Cup 2025, and two of their warm-up matches were abandoned due to rain. Much of the responsibility for their campaign lies on Zawad Abrar, who scored 224 runs in four matches in the Asia Cup, but has not been able to perform consistently.

If the Tigers have to challenge a strong Indian team, captain Azizul Hakim and all-rounder Kalam Siddiqui Allin will have to play well. The pitch at Queens Sports Club is batting-friendly, providing consistent bounce throughout the innings. Fast bowlers can provide some movement in the beginning, but spinners can come into play in the second half of the game. Cloudy conditions with a 55% chance of rain, and temperatures ranging between 17°C to 22°C, could have an impact on the match, especially for teams batting later. In the last two encounters between the teams, both teams have won one each.

India U19’s previous win was a comfortable 59-run win against Bangladesh in the U19 Asia Cup in December 2024, which shows the competitive edge of the boys in blue. With India U19’s attacking batsmen and a strong bowling attack led by Heinil, analysts predict that the match will be one-sided in India’s favour. To challenge the record champions, Bangladesh will need tremendous performance from Zawad and special bowlers. India are expected to win comfortably, which will keep their campaign on track and send a strong message to other teams.