ESPNcricinfo Trending: India Beat Pakistan by One Wicket in U19 Asia Cup Final

India beat Pakistan by one wicket in a tense Under-19 Asia Cup final on Saturday at the Oman Academy Cricket Ground in Al Amerat, on the outskirts of Muscat. The win, sealed with a last-ball boundary, was overshadowed by aggressive gestures from the Indian players after the match. The game drew strong interest online, with the trending search "espncricinfo" reflecting wide attention to the match's live coverage.

A late turnaround in the chase

Pakistan batted first after winning the toss and posted 337 for 9 in their 50 overs. Opener Usman Khan led the innings with 107 off 111 balls, while Abdul Qadir made 80 and captain Farhan Yousaf scored 63.

India needed 338 to win and were struggling at 252 for 8 in the 42nd over. Manal Chauhan and Mohit Ulva then added 57 runs for the ninth wicket to keep the chase alive. Chauhan made 47 off 32 balls, and Ulva finished unbeaten on 49 off 26 deliveries, hitting the winning boundary when India needed three runs from the final ball.

India's innings had earlier been built on a strong start from captain Lakshya Raichandani, who scored 80 off 101 balls, and opener Aaryavir Sehwag, who made 58 off 61 deliveries with nine fours. Sehwag, son of former India batter Virender Sehwag, finished as the tournament's leading run-scorer with 361 runs in five innings and was named player of the tournament. Anvay Dravid, son of former India captain and coach Rahul Dravid, scored 19.

Post-match conduct criticised

The celebrations drew criticism from former cricketers and fans on social media. One Indian player was seen yelling and gesturing angrily at Pakistan wicketkeeper Hamza Zahoor, who did not respond. Other players were seen kicking their legs in the direction of the Pakistan dressing room, while the Indian team management tried to restrain them.

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf posted on X that players represent more than their country, stressing respect and composure in both victory and defeat. Some Indian fans also described the behaviour as uncalled for. Former Indian cricketers and officials praised the win but did not condemn the conduct, according to the reports.

Both sides also skipped the customary post-match handshake. Handshakes have been absent in several recent India-Pakistan matches across formats, a practice that followed political tensions spilling onto the field.

Ulva on the final over

Ulva said the tournament had not gone well for him but that he believed he could deliver in the final. "I needed Manal's support, which he provided," he said. He added that the team had belief in its batting after seeing Pakistan's total and kept reminding itself that if they could score that many, India could too.

What we know so far

India's ninth Under-19 Asia Cup title is their first since 2021, extending their record in the tournament. The match's post-match behaviour remains the main point of debate, and the handshake issue is likely to continue to draw attention in future India-Pakistan fixtures.