Al Amerat (Oman): Late-order batters Mohit Ulva and Manal Chauhan held their nerves in crunch moments as India pulled off a stunning one-wicket win off the final ball over Pakistan to regain the Under-19 Asia Cup here on Saturday.
Chasing a massive 338, India were in all sorts of trouble at 252 for eight in the 42nd over, but they found two unlikely heroes in Manal (47, 32b) and Mohit (49 not out, 26b) to cross the line.
India made 339 for nine, with Mohit fittingly smashing a boundary off the final ball bowled by leg-spinner Ahmed Hussain to seal the match and title for his team.
When the two young batters joined forces, defending champions Pakistan had one hand on the trophy. But the two Indians faced a confident opponent and handled the pressure situation bravely during their 57-run stand for the ninth wicket.
However, Manal, who did all the running in their alliance, departed with the team score at 302, leaving India to make a further 36 runs with one wicket remaining.
But Mohit found another stouthearted ally in 11th man C Venkata (11 not out, 8b), and the Boys in Blue needed eight runs off the last over.
The equation eventually narrowed down to three runs off the last ball, and Mohit smashed Hussain wide of long-off for a boundary to register an unbelievable victory.
Before that, skipper Lakshya Raichandani (80) and Aaryavir Sehwag (58) kept India’s fight going, adding 95 runs for the opening wicket.
But Sehwag’s departure and the back-to-back dismissals of Raichandani and Anvay Dravid pushed India into a tough spot before they pulled off a Houdini act.
Earlier, opener Usman Khan’s composed 107 guided Pakistan to a strong 337 for nine.
Usman first stitched a quick 62-run alliance with his opening partner Hayam Khan in just 8.1 overs.
But that was just an appetiser as Usman, who reached his hundred in 106 balls, and one-down batter Abdul Qadir (80) milked 135 runs in a mere 18 overs as Pakistan got a serious middle-order move-on.
Qadir was the lead partner, making 80 in just 54 balls, and reached his maiden Youth ODI fifty in 39 balls.
He carted left-arm spinner Manal and off-spinner Yashbardhdan Chauhan for two sixes in a row.
But Qadir’s aggression eventually ended his stay as an uppish drive off Arjun Rajput ended in the hands of VK Vineeth at cover.
Usman too did not last long as a rather wild slash off pacer Kavya Patel (4/68) was snaffled by Rajput at mid-off.
At 240 for three in 36 overs, Pakistan had a fine platform to move further away from India.
Skipper Farhan Yousaf made a 63-ball 60 to help Pakistan go past 300.
Pacers Kavya and Venkata (3/40) picked up some late wickets, but by then Pakistan had already reached a big score.
