Muscat, Nov 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) India U19 captain Lakshya Raichandani said the team's belief in its batting depth and confidence in the lower order played a key role in their thrilling one-wicket victory over Pakistan in the U19 Asia Cup final, as the side clinched the title for a record-extending ninth time.
India chased down Pakistan's 338-run target, finishing at 339/9 in 50 overs at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground (Ministry Turf 2) on Saturday. The final went down to the last delivery, with Mohit Ulva striking a boundary off Ahmed Hussain to seal a memorable victory.
"It was a rollercoaster ride. We had the belief that we would be able to chase it down as the wicket was very good for batting. I always believed in the batting strength of our lower order. We were playing with almost 11 batters," Raichandani said after the win.
The Indian captain played a crucial role in setting up the chase, scoring 80 off 101 deliveries, including five fours. He shared a 90-run opening partnership with Aaryavir Sehwag, who contributed 58 off 61 balls, to give India a solid start.
After Sehwag's dismissal, Raichandani continued to anchor the innings and built a 56-run partnership with Anvay Dravid. However, Pakistan struck twice in the 37th over, removing both Raichandani and Dravid to put India under pressure.
India subsequently slipped to 254/8, with Pakistan needing just two more wickets to secure the title. Manal Chauhan and Ulva then revived the chase with a 57-run stand. Chauhan scored 47 off 32 balls, while Ulva remained unbeaten on 49.
With India needing eight runs from the final over, Ulva and Chigurupati Venkata kept their composure to bring the equation down to three runs off the last ball. Ulva then struck the winning boundary to complete the chase.
Raichandani also thanked the fans for their support and urged them to continue backing the team.
"I thank the fans for their support and request them to keep supporting us," he said.
Earlier, Pakistan posted 337/9, powered by Usman Khan's 107, Abdul Qadir's 80 and captain Farhan Yousaf's 63. For India, Kavya Patel claimed four wickets, while Chigurupati Venkata picked up three.
Source: IANS
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