Sharjah: India lived up to their reputation as world champions with a 40-run win over Pakistan to lift the Under-19 Asia Cup at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
The match was another intense battle between the two arch-rivals. Put into the bat by Pakistan, India posted 314 for eight from their 50 overs through centuries from skipper Vijay Zol and Sanju Samson.
Pakistan, despite a fighting unbeaten ton from Kamran Ghulam and an elegant knock of 87 from their inform skipper Sami Eslam, were restricted to 274 for nine in reply.
Man-of-the-match, Zol said afterwards: “We won because we did exceptionally well in all three departments of the game.
“As a batting unit I wanted my team to play the full 50 overs and it was nice to contribute with a century for my team’s success.”
Samson, who hit 100 off just 87 balls, added: “It is a challenge to score against Pakistan. I am very happy to get a century in a tournament final.
“This is my first century in any final of a tournament and hence I’m very happy to have delivered it.”
Bharat Arun, the coach of the victorious Indian team, said: “This win has given us the confidence for the Under-19 World Cup [to be held in the UAE next month]. The team spirit will be very high. We are lucky to have played this tournament in the same venues for the World Cup and so our preparation will be very good.”
Pakistan had beaten India in the group stage, but failed to repeat that performance in the final. Indian opener Ankush Bains, fresh from his match-winning 54 in the semi-final against Sri Lanka, and Akhil Herwadkar (12) gave the team a whirlwind start by putting on 65 in just 6.4 overs.
Bains went on to hit 47 off 34 balls, Zol claimed 100 off 120 with seven boundaries and two sixes and Samson smashed eight boundaries and four sixes.
Pakistan, chasing a run rate of 6.28 runs per over, went for their shots from the start. Eslam’s 87 off 96 balls contained ten hits to the boundary, while Ghulam, who was later named player of the tournament, hit a valiant unbeaten 102 off 89 balls with 12 boundaries, but his knock went in vain.
India bowled tightly and also fielded brilliantly. Kuldeep Yadav contained the run flow with a fine three-wicket spell backed by Chama Milind, Deepak Hooda and Aamir Gani with two wickets each.
Zol and Samson accelerated the run-rate through some well-timed shots, with the latter hitting Karamat Ali out of the ground over midwicket and Mohammad Umair over extra cover for another six.
The pair put on 100 in just 18.2 overs and India went past the 200 mark in the 33rd over with both batsmen in full flow. Zol reached his century in the 41st over off 119 balls, but In the next over he lifted Ali to be caught by Zafar Gohar at long-on. The pair put on 180 in 28.4 overs.
Samson lifted Ali for consecutive sixes, one over long-off and the other over long-on, as he reached his century in 86 balls, waving his bat towards mentor and coach Biju George, who was watching from the boundary.
Gohar ended Samson’s knock by forcing him to loft to Umair at wide mid-off in the next over.
India went past the 300-run mark, but Pakistan took three wickets and gave away just 23 runs in the last five overs.
