India’s young guns turned a high-pressure final into a memorable night of celebrations, holding their nerve in a last-ball thriller to edge Pakistan by one wicket and lift the 2026 ACC Men’s Under-19 Asia Cup title. For captain Lakshya Raichandani, however, the dramatic victory was an emotional journey that tested the team’s belief and batting depth until the very end.Describing the contest as an “emotional roller coaster”, Raichandani credited his teammates for backing themselves during the daunting 338-run chase and delivering when it mattered most.“It was a roller coaster (of emotions). We always had the belief as the wicket was pretty good. We are playing with almost 11 batters, I wasn’t surprised, as I had the belief in them. Thank you for the support, and keep supporting us,” Raichandani said after the match.The Indian captain also underlined the team’s confidence in its batting depth, insisting that the players never lost faith in their ability to chase down the imposing target.
Raichandani leads India’s fightback
Chasing 338 for victory at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground, India finished at 339/9 in 50 overs to seal a remarkable one-wicket win in a thrilling final. Raichandani anchored the innings with a composed 80 off 101 balls, while opener Aaryavir Sehwag provided a strong start with 58 off 61 deliveries. The pair helped India build a solid platform before Pakistan fought back with regular wickets.With India under pressure at 251/7, Manal Chauhan and Mohit Ulva stepped up to revive the chase. Manal smashed 47 off 32 balls, while Ulva remained unbeaten on 49 off just 26 deliveries to take India within touching distance of victory.The match went down to the final delivery, with India needing three runs to win. Ulva held his nerve and struck a boundary to complete the sensational chase and spark celebrations in the Indian camp.
Pakistan post imposing 337-run total
Earlier, Pakistan put up a formidable 337/9 in their allotted 50 overs, courtesy of a brilliant century from Usman Khan and valuable contributions from Abdul Qadir and captain Farhan Yousaf.Usman top-scored with 107 off 106 balls, while Qadir smashed 80 off 54 deliveries. Yousaf added 63 to give Pakistan a strong total to defend.India’s bowling effort was led by Kavya Patel, who claimed four wickets for 68 runs, while Chigurupati Venkata picked up three for 40. However, Pakistan’s total eventually proved insufficient as India’s lower order produced a stunning comeback to secure the continental crown in one of the most dramatic finals of the tournament.
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