India secure quarter-final spot

India opener Rahul Kannaur steers his side into the quarter-finals with an unbeaten 62 versus Hong Kong

England’s Group A rivals India qualified for the quarter-finals with a comprehensive nine-wicket win over Hong Kong, whom they eliminated in the process.

Sandeep Sharma and Gaurav Jahar took three wickets apiece as Hong Kong stumbled to 143 all out in 33.5 overs at Christchurch.

That proved to be well below par as half-centuries from openers Rahul Kannaur and Mayank Agarwal - Kannaur’s unbeaten - saw India home with 26 overs to spare.

England face the reigning champions on Thursday following tomorrow’s clash with Afghanistan, when a win will secure their quarter-final spot.

In Group C, seamer Nick Buchanan took 4-16 as Australia crushed Ireland by 209 runs in the Under-19 World Cup to all but secure their progress.

Having hammered the USA in their opening game, Australia raced to 274 for five in their 50 overs, Alex Keith leading the charge with 88 before Tim Armstrong’s unbeaten 73 ensured an uphill task for Ireland.

Opening bowler Kane Richardson then ripped through Ireland’s top order with 3-23 and Buchanan, Armstrong and Luke Doran all took wickets as the minnows slumped to 65 all out, with Stuart Thompson’s 19 the only glimmer of resistance.

Australia will progress unless the USA can pull off an unlikely win against South Africa.

Elsewhere, West Indies blew Group D wide open with a thrilling one-run win over Bangladesh.

Having lost their opening game against Pakistan, West Indies had to win against a Bangladesh side high on confidence after seeing off Papua New Guinea.

Captain Andre Creary’s half-century took West Indies to a competitive 249 for eight, Jermaine Blackwood upping the scoring rate with four sixes in his 48 from 28 balls.

Bangladesh’s chase looked to have been timed to perfection thanks to Tasamul Haque’s 54.

Haque guided Bangladesh to 248 for eight - needing just two runs from four balls off Jason Holder’s final over.

But Holder then bowled Haque, and last man Shaker Ahmed was run out next ball trying to level the scores.

In Group C, Zimbabwe are out after a spectacular top-order collapse saw them fall to 20 for six against Sri Lanka.

Despite recovering to 121 all out, thanks largely to Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Sri Lanka were able to open their account with an eight-wicket win.