Who is Henil Patel? 18-year old bowler to take fifer in U19 World Cup 2026

As the Indian Under-19 cricket team kicked off their U-19 World Cup campaign against the USA in Zimbabwe on Thursday, pacer Henil Patel stole the show. He bagged a remarkable five-wicket haul in the first innings, helping his side bowl out the USA for just 107 in 35 overs.

  Patel gets the first wicket of the tournament  Patel struck early, claiming the first wicket of the tournament on the third delivery of the second over. His good-length delivery, pitched around the fifth stump, generated extra bounce and slight movement away. USA's Amrinder Gill edged the ball, which traveled low to second slip, where Vihaan Malhotra took a sharp catch to mark the first wicket.

 

Patel continued his impressive spell by removing top-order batters Arjun Mahesh and skipper Mahesh Srivastava, triggering a collapse in the USA's batting lineup. With solid support from the other bowlers and excellent fielding, it was a dominant performance with the ball for India. Having set the USA a low total, India will now look to chase down the 108-run target quickly and efficiently.  Who is Henil Patel? 

Henil Dilipbhai Patel, born on February 27, 2007, in Valsad, Gujarat, hails from the same cricketing heritage that produced greats like Jasprit Bumrah. A right-arm medium-fast bowler, Henil’s cricketing journey began at local clubs in Ahmedabad, before progressing through the ranks of the Gujarat Under-19 and Under-23 teams.

His innate ability to generate bounce and late swing on the ball made him a standout performer in domestic cricket. This exceptional talent eventually earned him a spot in the India A U-19 team, which led to his selection for the main squad in the World Cup.