By Staff Reporter
LAHORE: Mohit Ulva struck a boundary off the last ball of the match to give India a one-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Under-19 Asia Cup final in Muscat on Saturday.
India, chasing 338, were 252 for eight and needed 86 from 51 balls when the game appeared to have gone. They finished on 339 for nine, with Ulva unbeaten on 49 from 26 balls and Chigurupati Venkata not out on 11 from eight. It was a record-extending ninth Asia Cup title for India, and it denied defending champions Pakistan, who had come into the final unbeaten, a successful defence of their crown at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground.
India needed eight from the last over, bowled by the leg-spinner Ahmed Hussain, and still three from the final delivery, which Ulva drilled over long-off. Hussain finished with no wicket for 38. Ulva, who hit five fours and three sixes, was lifted by his team-mates as Pakistan’s players stood and watched.
It was a startling turnaround for a player who, by his own account, had not enjoyed the tournament. Ulva said afterwards that he had struggled in the competition but believed he could deliver in the final, and credited his faith and the partnerships around him. He had also had a difficult afternoon with the ball, conceding 57 runs from eight wicketless overs as Pakistan piled up their total. Asked about the finish, he said “I knew it was my day and I’ll finish the game.” He was named player of the match.
The revival began in the 42nd over, with India eight down. Ulva and Manal Chauhan added 57 for the ninth wicket, Chauhan hitting three fours and three sixes in a 32-ball 47 before falling at 309 in the 48th over. That left India needing 29 from 16 balls with one wicket in hand. Ulva and Venkata then put on an unbeaten 30 for the last wicket.
India’s chase had been built on a solid start. Captain Lakshya Raichandani made 80 from 101 balls and Aaryavir Sehwag, son of the former India batsman Virender Sehwag, scored 58 from 61 with nine fours. The openers put on 95 before the left-arm spinner Niqab Shafiq had Sehwag caught in the deep by Usman Khan in the 18th over. VK Vineeth added 51 with Raichandani before Rizwanullah removed him for 24.
Pakistan then took control. Rizwanullah dismissed Arjun Rajput, caught behind, and Hasnain Abbas Dar had Yashvardhan Chauhan for nine to leave India 186 for four. Raichandani fell at 217 in the 37th over to Ali Raza, and the wicketkeeper Anvay Dravid was run out for 19 off the next ball. Rizwanullah then removed Aryan Savsani and Mohammad Sayyam dismissed Kavya Patel for a duck, leaving India eight down. Rizwanullah was the best of Pakistan’s bowlers with three for 53 from his ten overs, and Shafiq took two for 57.
Pakistan had won the toss and chosen to bat, and their total of 337 for nine was built on Usman’s 107 from 111 balls, his second century of the tournament. The left-hander hit 11 fours and three sixes before Patel had him caught by Rajput in the 37th over with the score at 240 for three. He and Hayam Khan put on 62 for the first wicket, Hayam making 21 from 23 balls, before Usman added 135 for the second with Abdul Qadir.
Qadir reached 50 from 39 balls and went on to 80 from 54, with eight sixes and three fours, before Rajput dismissed him on the last ball of the 27th over with Pakistan 197 for two. Captain Farhan Yousaf then made 63 from 60 balls, with four fours and three sixes, and added 59 for the fourth wicket with Hussain, who made 17.
Pakistan were 204 for two at the halfway stage and looked set for more than 350. India’s bowlers pulled them back, and Pakistan scored only 32 runs in the last five overs. Patel took four for 68 from his ten overs. Venkata, who had come into the side in place of the injured Ishan Sood, took three for 40 from five. Rajput finished with one for 43.
Sehwag was named player of the tournament. “Emotions are very high whenever it is India-Pakistan,” he said afterwards.
The result came less than a year after the sides last met in an Under-19 Asia Cup final, when Pakistan beat India by 191 runs in Dubai.
Copyright © 2021 Independent Pakistan | All rights reserved
