Virender Sehwag shares heartwarming video call with son Aaryavir after India’s thrilling U19 Asia Cup final win over Pakistan

Dubai: A heartwarming video of Aaryavir Sehwag recalling the emotions of India’s thrilling U-19 Asia Cup final against Pakistan with his father, former India opener Virender Sehwag, has taken social media by storm.

The 15-year-old was part of one of the most dramatic victories of his young career as India clinched the U-19 Asia Cup title with a thrilling last-ball win over Pakistan.

Virender shared a glimpse of their conversation on Instagram, capturing a special father-son moment. While congratulating his son, Aaryavir excitedly recalled the atmosphere in the stands, particularly the unexpected chants of ‘Sehwag, Sehwag’ from Pakistani supporters.

Recounting the nail-biting final over, Aaryavir revealed how he spent nearly an hour praying for India to pull off the victory.

“I was sitting for an hour and constantly chanting prayers in my mind, hoping that something might happen. Then he smashed it, and eight runs were needed off the final over. Eventually, just one run was required off the last delivery, with a bowler at the crease. He smashed it for a boundary. I was just praying that somehow he would make contact and score the runs. And finally, the ball hit his bat,” Aaryavir said during the video call.

He also spoke about the incredible support he received from sections of the Pakistani crowd, despite playing against their team.

“We all went absolutely crazy. There were a few Pakistanis there. When I was injured, the physio came two or three times. There were around 2,000 Pakistani supporters in the stands, and they were all chanting ‘Sehwag, Sehwag’. They were also appreciating how well he was batting. It was so much fun, and I really enjoyed it,” he added.

Aaryavir then informed his father about his injury, saying he would need an X-ray after returning home before signing off from the call.

Aaryavir was undoubtedly one of the standout performers of the tournament. He finished as the competition’s leading run-scorer, accumulating 361 runs in five innings at an impressive average of 90.25. His tally included one century and three half-centuries, earning him the Player of the Tournament award.

His most memorable performance came against the UAE, where he smashed a magnificent 160, the highest individual score of the tournament. He followed it up with an unbeaten 70 against Malaysia and a half-century in the semi-final against Afghanistan before delivering another crucial performance in the title clash against Pakistan.

In the final, Aaryavir scored a fighting 58 off 61 deliveries, including nine boundaries. Despite being struck on the forearm by Ali Raza and facing an injury scare, he showed tremendous determination to continue batting, building a crucial 97-run opening partnership with captain Lakshya Raichandani.