New Zealand U19 vs United States of America U19, 9th Match, Group B, ICC Under 19 World Cup 2026 - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

16:16 Local Time, 14:16 GMT, 19:46 IST: The rain has had the final say and the match has been abandoned. This match deserved a better finish considering that USA had fought back valiantly in the first half. USA were reeling at 40/5 but Nitish Sudini rose to the occasion and scored a brilliant century to resurrect the innings. The young man stepped up in a crisis situation, batted sensibly, showed great temperament and led his side to a competitive total. That's what this U19 World Cup is all about - raw talents making their opportunites count when it matters the most. Unfortunately, only a single over was possible in the second innings and then the heavens opened up. We had a glimmer of hope when the rain stopped for a while but it returned back to shut the doors on this game. Three matches are coming up tomorrow so keep following Cricbuzz for all the latest updates. Until next time, goodbye and cheers!

16:05 Local Time, 14:05 GMT, 19:35 IST: The inspection should have been done by now but it looks like the rain has returned. The waiting game continues...

15:31 Local Time, 13:31 GMT, 19:01 IST: The live visuals reveal that the rain has completely stopped. However, when it rained, it completely bucketed down. The covers have been taken off but a few wet patches have formed on the outfield. The next inspection is scheduled for 4pm local time.

15:07 Local Time, 13:07 GMT, 18:37 IST: The rain seems to have stopped. We will bring you more updates as soon as we have them...

14:00 Local Time, 12:00 GMT, 17:30 IST: The rain has suddenly picked up pace and the groundsmen rush in with the covers. It has started bucketing down. There was some forecast for rain during the course of the game and it has finally arrived. A lot of rain clouds are hovering overhead. More covers are being brought in to cover the square as well. Let's hope it's just a passing shower...

Welcome back for the run-chase! Well, it has started drizzling a bit but it's very light at the moment. A bit of hold up in play but now we are ready to go. USA's left-arm seamer to start off with the new ball. Two slips in place...

Nitish Reddy Sudini: I focused on batting and didn’t think of it as an international game. I treated it like a practice match, worked on getting my touch, and opened up once I started middling the ball. I stayed patient and waited for the bad balls. Whenever I got one, I made sure to put it away for four. Before the game, I wrote a note because I had a feeling I’d score a hundred. It said, ‘USA, this is for you.'

What stood out during that partnership was the composure on display. There were no rash shots; instead, the duo constantly communicated, focused on rotating the strike, and committed to batting deep. Nitish was on 82 when Kappa was dismissed, but he kept his cool, went on to bring up a memorable century in the 46th over, and capped off a remarkable innings. That knock not only lifted the team’s spirits but also transformed the score from 40/5 to a highly respectable 253/9 at the end of 50 overs. What an outstanding fightback from USA. Can New Zealand recover from that and respond positively with the bat? All of that on the other side of the break, stick around...

13:26 local, 11:26 GMT, 16:56 IST: Nitish Sudini gets a huge round of applause from his mates as he trudges back to the pavilion. The players line up parallel along the staircase to receive him. Even the New Zealand players are seen applauding as they wait for Nitish to cross over. Put into bat, USA found themselves in all sorts of trouble after losing half their side for just 40 runs inside 10 overs. Flynn Morey did most of the damage, picking up four of those five wickets. With the innings in danger of collapsing, USA needed someone to resurrect it - and Nitish Reddy Sudini answered the call with one of the finest knocks of his career. He first stitched together a crucial 57-run stand with Shiv Shani before engineering a vital 100-plus partnership with Adit Kappa for the 7th wicket.