Henil Patel Hails Dale Steyn An Inspiration Following Starry Five-Wicket Haul In U19 World Cup: ‘I Like His Aggression'

India U19 fast bowler Henil Patel, who delivered a match-winning performance against the US at the ongoing ICC Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup, revealed that he has been inspired by South African legend Dale Steyn.

Patel ripped through the United States' batting line-up to collect magical figures of 5/16 during India's six-wicket victory in Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) on Thursday. His spell provided the five-time champions, India, to start their U19 World Cup campaign on a superb note.

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Notably, it was the third-best figures by an Indian bowler at any edition of the Men's U19 World Cup. Ahead of Henil Patel are Kamal Passi (6/23 against Zimbabwe in 2012) and Anukul Roy (5/14 against Papua New Guinea in 2018).

In a conversation with ICC Digital, the right-arm pacer said he draws inspiration from legendary speedster Dale Steyn and appreciates his aggression.

"What I get from Dale Steyn is that I like his aggression a lot. His bowling was so good that there was no batter who could play against him easily because he was so tough to face," Patel told ICC Digital.

The 18-year-old youngster revealed his mindset while bowling, “I have a mindset to get the batter out within three to four deliveries. I go into training with a proper mindset, I get my body ready, and it's the same in a match. It's all about taking early wickets. I go with the same mindset, and I stay calm.”

In the match, India opted to bowl first and produced a disciplined bowling performance, bundling out the USA for 107 in 35.2 overs.

Nitish Sudini top-scored for USA with 36 off 52 balls, but the innings never really gained momentum due to the lack of meaningful partnerships.

Chasing a revised target of 96, India suffered early setbacks. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was dismissed for 2, followed soon by Vedant Trivedi, who also managed 2 runs.
Both wickets were taken by Ritvik Appidi. Captain Ayush Mhatre then departed for 19, leaving India at 25/3 in 5.2 overs.

Vihaan Malhotra and Abhigyan Kundu steadied the innings with a crucial 45-run partnership. Malhotra scored 18 before being dismissed, but Kundu stood firm in the chase. He was well supported by Kanishk Chouhan, and the pair ensured there were no further hiccups.

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India eventually crossed the line in 17.2 overs. Kundu remained unbeaten on 42 off 41 balls, which included five boundaries and a six, while Chouhan remained not out on 10. Ritvik Appidi was the lone bright spot for the USA bowlers, finishing with figures of 2/24 from his five overs.