Durban: Wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jorel struck a delightful century before left-arm spinner Atharva Ankolekar scalped four wickets to help India beat South Africa by 69 runs and lift the Quadrangular U-19 Series title here on Thursday, ahead of next week’s U-19 World Cup. Jorel hit 101 off 115 balls with the help of eight boundaries and two sixes, while Tilak Varma struck 70 off 103 deliveries (7x4s, 1x6), helping India post a competitive 259 for seven after being sent into bat.

Left-arm orthodox bowler, Ankolekar (4-31), then spun a web around South Africa batsmen to bundle out the hosts for 190 in 43.1 overs in the title clash. However, the start was far from rosy for the Indians as they slipped to 13-3 in 6.1 overs. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Divyaansh Saxena and skipper Priyam Garg all departed early, leaving the tourists in a spot of bother. Jurel and Varma then joined hands and shared 164 runs for the fourth wicket to not only stabilise India’s innings but also set a platform for a fighting total.