MUSCAT: Mohit Ulva and Chigurupati Venkata held their nerve to steer India to a thrilling one-wicket victory over Pakistan on the final ball of the match in the ACC Men’s U-19 Asia Cup final at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Muscat on Saturday.
Chasing a massive 338, India looked down and out at 252-8 before Ulva and Manal Chauhan revived their hopes with a fighting 57-run partnership for the ninth wicket.
Chauhan struck three fours and three sixes in his 32-ball 47 before falling at 309 in the 48th over, leaving India needing 29 from the final 16 deliveries.
Ulva and Venkata then added an unbeaten 30 runs to take India home. With eight runs required in the final over, Ulva, who finished unbeaten on a 26-ball 49 laced with five fours and three sixes, struck the winning boundary off Ahmed Hussain.
Venkata remained not out on 11 off eight balls as India finished at 339-9 off50 overs.
Captain Lakshya Raichandani had earlier top-scored with 80 off 101 balls while Aaryavir Sehwagcontributed 58 from 61.
The opening pair provided India with a strong start, putting on 95 before Sehwag was dismissed in the 18th over.
Pakistan, however, kept striking at regular intervals to regain control. India lost their fifth wicket, that of Raichandani, who departed at 217 in the 37th over. It became 217-6 just one ball later when Anvay Dravid (19 off 12) was run out by Pakistan captain Farhan Yousuf.
The subsequent wickets of Aryan Savsani (nine) and Kavya Paresh (duck) further reduced India to 252-8 before the late rescue led them to victory.
For Pakistan, pacer Rizwanullah bagged three wickets for 53 while slow left-arm orthodox spinner Niqab Shafiq claimed two for 57.
USMAN, QADIR BOOST PAKISTAN Earlier, Pakistan posted a huge 337-9 after opting to bat, with opener Usman Khan scoring a century while Abdul Qadir and Farhan made valuable half-centuries.
Usman and fellow openerHayam Khan provided Pakistan with a steady start, putting on 62.
Hayam struck four boundaries in his 23-ball 21 before falling in the ninth over.
Southpaw Usman then combined with Qadir in a commanding 135-run partnership for the second wicket.
Q adir provided the acceleration with an attacking 80 off just 54 balls, hitting three fours and eight sixes before being dismissed on the last ball of the 27th over.
Usman continued to anchor the innings, reaching his second century of the tournament. He struck 107 off 111 deliveries with the help of 11 fours and three sixes, before falling in the 37th over leaving Pakistan at 240-3.
Farhan maintained the momentum with a 60-ball 63, including four fours and three sixes. He added 59 runs for the fourth wicket with Ahmed Hussain (17 off 20).
Pakistan had looked set for a total in excess of 350 after reaching 204 for two at the halfway stage. However, India’s bowlers pulled things back in the latter stages of the innings.Paresh led the Indian attack with four for 68 while Venkata, who came into the side in place of the injured Ishan Sood, claimed 3-40 from five overs. Arjun Rajput took one for 43.
Ulva was named playerof-thematch for his decisive contribution in the chase, while Sehwag received the player-of-the-tournament award.
The defeat denied defending champions Pakistan a successful title defence after they had entered the final unbeaten, winning all three group-stage matches, including an earlier victory over India, before outplaying Bangladesh by nine wickets in the semi-final.
Brief scores: India U-19 beat Pakistan U-19 by one wicket.
PAKISTAN U-19 337-9 in 50 overs (Usman Khan 107, Abdul Qadir 80, Farhan Yousuf 63; Kavya Paresh 4-68; Chigurupati Venkata 3-40 in five overs); INDIA U-19 339-9 in 50 overs (Lakshya Raichandani 80, Aaryavir Sehwag 58, Mohit Ulva 49 not out, Manal Chauhan 47; Rizwanullah 3-53, Niqab Shafiq 2-57).-Agencies