IND U19 vs NZ U19 | Twitter gets nostalgic as Mhatre reminds them of Hitman with nonchalant pull

‌India progressed to the Super Six of the ICC U19 World Cup with a seven-wicket win over New Zealand in Bulawayo on Saturday. The medium pace duo of RS Ambrish and Henil Patel ran through the Kiwis’ batting order, picking up a total of seven wickets, to bowl them out for 135 in a match reduced to 37 overs due to inclement weather. In return, the Indian Colts’ skipper Ayush Mhatre scored a blistering half-century (53 off 27 balls), which included six sixes and two fours, while Vaibhav Suryavanshi supported with a knock of 40 as the Boys in Blue cruised home, reaching the revised target of 130 in just 13.3 overs.

Though Mhatre’s innings was laden with a flurry of sixes, it was a pull shot off pacer Mason Clarke over wide long on that became the talking point on social media. With the Chennai Super Kings batter already thrashing th short ball plan of Clarke a ball earlier with a six over square leg, the pacer was adamant to get the batter with the same ploy.

But all his hopes went up in smoke as Mhatre quickly reacted to a short ball aimed at his body by smashing it for a huge maximum over wide long on. The ball went miles past the rope as the batter looked in majestic touch to score his third big one of the evening.

And that pull shot reminded Twitter of his senior Mumbai pro, Rohit Sharma, who has owned that shot in the modern-day game like no one else. And that Mhatre also leads India in the World Cup was a wonderful coincidence as social media went haywire with the pull, Mumbai player, and the Indian skipper connection.

Shot!

An Indian captain from Mumbai, pulling it with such class… feels familiar, doesn’t it? 😉 |  👉 LIVE NOW ➡️  

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) 

Captain innings!

Ayush Mhatre smashed 53 in 27 balls in the U19 World Cup. 

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) 

What a shot!

THE PULL SHOT BY AYUSH MHATRE IN U-19 WORLD CUP 🥶



- Rohit Sharma is the Idol of Mhatre. 

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) 

Fifty!

🚨 24 BALL FIFTY BY CAPTAIN AYUSH MHATRE IN U-19 WORLD CUP 🚨



- The Super King Boy in the run chase for India. 

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) 

Half Century!

24 BALLS FIFTY FOR AYUSH MHATRE IN U19 WORLD CUP:

Captain Ayush Mhatre form is back before SUPER SIX GAME 

— Pijush Saha (@sahapijush7) 

Brilliant Knock!

AYUSH MHATRE SMASHED 53 RUNS ON 27 BALLS IN ICC U19 WORLD CUP 2026 AGAINST NEWZEALAND 🇮🇳

— Somesh Jangra (@CelebrityGalax) 

50!

Ayush Mhatre 50 Just 24 balls. 

— Channi Pabla (@_pablax_) 

Captain!

🚨 24 BALL FIFTY BY CAPTAIN AYUSH MHATRE IN U-19 WORLD CUP 🚨



- The Super King Boy in the run chase for India. 

— rahul bera jat (@berarahul53) 

Fifty!

-Ayush Mhatre smashed 53 in 27 balls in the U19 World Cup.  

— ✨Ajay࿐⁴⁵ (@RGOAT264) 

Masterclass!

Captain Ayush Mhatre Masterclass🔥



- 53(27) with 2 fours & 6 sixes 

— Cric Seven (@cric_sevenn)