India opener Aaryavir Sehwag capped a memorable Under-19 Asia Cup campaign by being named Player of the Tournament after finishing as the competition’s leading run-scorer with 361 runs in five innings.Sehwag averaged 90.25 and struck one century and three half-centuries, underlining his consistency at the top of the order. His tournament included scores of 70, 22, 160, 51 and 58, with his magnificent 160 against the UAE standing out as the highest individual contribution of his campaign.The youngster carried his impressive form into the final against Pakistan, scoring a valuable 58 off 61 balls, including nine boundaries, while chasing a challenging target of 338. He shared a strong opening partnership with captain Lakshya Raichandani, giving India a solid platform in the run chase.Speaking after receiving the Player of the Tournament award, Sehwag said the team always believed the target was within reach, given the batting-friendly conditions.“The discussion is that the wicket is good to bat on. There was always a belief that we will chase it down. We talk about it in team meetings; someone had to bat deep. I haven’t spoken to my dad (Virender Sehwag), I will have a chat with him later,” he said.Sehwag’s performances ensured he finished ahead of Pakistan’s Usman Khan, who scored 345 runs in the tournament, including a century in the final.
India U19 script last-ball thriller to beat Pakistan and clinch title
India U19 produced a remarkable comeback to defeat Pakistan by one wicket in a last-ball thriller and clinch the Under-19 Asia Cup title on Saturday.Chasing 338 for victory, India completed a sensational 339-run pursuit in 50 overs, with number 10 batter Mohit Ulva emerging as the unlikely hero with an unbeaten 49 off just 26 deliveries.Earlier, Pakistan posted 337/9 in their 50 overs after being asked to bat first. Usman Khan led the charge with a brilliant 107, while Abdul Qadir contributed 80 and captain Farhan Yousaf added 63.India’s bowling attack fought back in the latter stages, with Kavya Patel claiming four wickets for 68 runs and Chigurupati Venkata picking up three wickets for 40.In response, Sehwag and Raichandani gave India a strong start, putting together a 90-plus-run opening stand. Sehwag scored 58 before being dismissed by Niqab Shafiq, while the Indian captain continued to anchor the innings with a composed 80 off 101 balls.However, Pakistan fought back with regular wickets to leave India struggling at 251/7. The match appeared to be slipping away from the defending champions before Manal Chauhan and Mohit Ulva produced a crucial rescue act.Manal played an aggressive knock of 47 off 32 balls, while Ulva kept India in the contest with a fearless display of hitting. The duo added 57 runs for the ninth wicket before Manal was dismissed, leaving India needing a late surge to get across the line.Ulva took charge in the closing stages, smashing 17 runs in the penultimate over to bring the equation down to eight runs from the final six deliveries.With three runs required off the last ball, Ulva held his nerve and struck a boundary to seal an extraordinary one-wicket victory for India, triggering celebrations in the Indian camp.
