India beat Pakistan by one wicket off the final ball in the Under-19 Asia Cup final at Al Amerat in Oman on Saturday, winning back the title after a thrilling run chase of 338.
Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat. Opener Usman Khan led the way with 107 off 106 balls, and he and Abdul Qadir put on 135 in 18 overs for the second wicket. Qadir hit 80 off 54 balls, reaching his maiden Youth ODI fifty in just 39 balls and striking two sixes before he was caught at cover off Arjun Rajput. Pakistan were 240 for three after 36 overs.
Hayam Khan had given Pakistan a solid start, adding 62 with Usman in 8.1 overs. Captain Farhan Yousaf then made 60 off 63 balls to push the total to 337 for nine. For India, Kavya Patel took four wickets for 68 runs and C Venkata finished with three for 40.
India's reply began well. Captain Lakshya Raichandani made 80 and Aaryavir Sehwag scored 58, and the pair added 95 for the first wicket. But once Sehwag fell, Raichandani and Anvay Dravid were dismissed in quick succession, and wickets kept falling. India slumped to 252 for eight in the 42nd over, and the game seemed to be slipping away.
Manal Chauhan and Mohit Ulva then turned the final around. Chauhan made 47 off 32 balls, running most of the singles, and Ulva hit 49 not out off 26 balls. Together they added 57 for the ninth wicket before Chauhan was out at 302.
Venkata, who had taken three wickets with the ball, joined Ulva and finished unbeaten on 11 off eight balls. India needed eight runs off the last over and three off the final ball. Ahmed Hussain bowled it, and Ulva hit it wide of long-off for four to complete a one-wicket win.
The result avenges a heavy loss for India in last December's final in Dubai, where Pakistan won by 191 runs behind a 172 from Sameer Minhas. Pakistan also beat India by three wickets in the group stage of this tournament, after India were bowled out for 208 in 46.3 overs.
Both teams had reached the final in convincing fashion. India beat Afghanistan by eight wickets in the semifinals, while Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by nine wickets.
India had won the Under-19 Asia Cup a record eight times before this edition, and this victory gives them a ninth title. Pakistan came into the final as defending champions. Raichandani led India and Yousaf captained Pakistan.
