Mohit Ulva’s unbeaten 49 seals a remarkable one-wicket victory in Oman after India slump to 252/8 while chasing 338.
India’s Under-19 cricket team pulled off an extraordinary comeback against Pakistan to win the 2026 ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup on Saturday, November 14. With three runs needed from the final ball and only one wicket remaining, Mohit Ulva struck a boundary to complete a one-wicket victory at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman. The result gave India a record-extending ninth U19 Asia Cup title and brought a dramatic end to a match in which Pakistan had appeared firmly in control.
Chasing 338, India finished on 339/9 from their 50 overs. Captain Lakshya Raichandani laid the foundation with 80, while Aaryavir Sehwag made 58. Yet it was the lower order that decided the final. Manal Chauhan’s attacking 47 and Ulva’s unbeaten 49 turned a collapsing chase into one of the most memorable finishes in the tournament’s history.
Pakistan build a formidable 337 with Usman Khan’s century
Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat, making full use of the opportunity. Openers Usman Khan and Hayam Khan added 62 runs before India made the first breakthrough. Usman then combined with Abdul Qadir in a 135-run second-wicket stand that put India’s bowlers under sustained pressure.
Usman’s 107 from 111 balls featured 11 fours and three sixes. Qadir took the aggressive route, racing to 80 off 54 deliveries with eight sixes. Their contrasting approaches proved effective: Usman anchored the innings while Qadir regularly cleared the boundary. Pakistan moved to 197/2 by the end of the 27th over and looked capable of an even bigger total.
Captain Farhan Yousaf kept the innings moving with 63 off 60 balls. India, however, prevented Pakistan from making an even more damaging finish. Kavya Patel claimed 4/68 from 10 overs, including the wicket of Usman, and Chigurupati Venkata took 3/40. Pakistan eventually closed on 337/9, a score that left India facing a demanding chase in a major final.
Raichandani and Sehwag give India a strong start
India began steadily rather than chasing the target recklessly. Raichandani and Sehwag put on 95 for the opening wicket, preserving wickets and keeping the required rate within reach. Sehwag, the son of former India opener Virender Sehwag, struck nine fours during his 58 from 61 balls before being dismissed in the 18th over.
Raichandani continued to guide the innings and reached 80 from 101 deliveries, with support from VK Vineeth, who scored 24, and Arjun Rajput, who made 16. But Pakistan gradually regained the initiative. The Indian captain fell with the score at 217/5, and wicketkeeper Anvay Dravid was run out for 19 on the very next ball. Suddenly, a chase that had looked manageable was sliding out of India’s hands.
Pakistan’s Rizwanullah finished with 3/53, while Niqab Shafiq took two wickets. When Kavya Patel was dismissed in the 42nd over, India were 252/8 and still needed 86 runs. Pakistan were two wickets away from retaining the trophy.
Manal Chauhan and Mohit Ulva turn the final around
From that point, India needed far more than a brief counterattack. Manal Chauhan and Mohit Ulva responded with a ninth-wicket partnership of 57 runs from 35 balls, finding boundaries while refusing to surrender to the match situation. Manal’s 47 from 32 balls, including three fours and three sixes, brought India back into contention.
Manal was caught with India on 309/9 in the 48th over, leaving 29 runs still required and only the last pair at the crease. Ulva then found crucial support from Chigurupati Venkata, who contributed an unbeaten 11 from eight balls. The pair added 30 runs and took the contest into the final over, with India needing eight to win.
By the last delivery, the equation had narrowed to three runs. Pakistan turned to leg-spinner Ahmed Hussain, but Ulva sent the ball past long-off for four. India crossed the target with the final ball of the match, and Ulva finished unbeaten on 49 off just 26 deliveries, having hit five fours and three sixes. His nerveless performance earned him the Player of the Match award.
A ninth title and a striking response to Pakistan
The victory carried added significance because Pakistan had beaten India earlier in the group stage and reached the final unbeaten. India had recovered from that setback, including an eight-wicket semifinal victory over Afghanistan, before producing their best escape under the greatest pressure.
Sehwag was named Player of the Tournament after scoring 361 runs in five innings. His contribution, along with Raichandani’s leadership and the late heroics of Manal and Ulva, underlined the depth of India’s batting lineup. Kavya Patel’s four wickets were equally important in preventing Pakistan from setting an even higher target.
For Pakistan, Usman’s century and Qadir’s powerful hitting deserved recognition, as did the bowlers who had reduced India to 252/8. But the trophy was decided by India’s ability to keep believing when the odds appeared to be against them. From the opening partnership to the final-ball boundary, the 2026 U19 Asia Cup final delivered a contest worthy of its rivalry and a championship India will remember for years.
Satyakam is a seasoned professional content writer with over 15 years of experience in creating high-quality, research-driven content for digital platforms. He specialises in business, finance, banking, law, technology, and informational blogs.
