Just like it’s often when the senior teams from India and Pakistan cross swords on the cricket field, the colts from the game’s eternal arch-rivals too played a thriller in the U-19 Asia Cup in Dubai on Saturday. In the end, Pakistan U-19 edged out their Indian counterparts by the slender margin of two wickets, with the win coming off the very last ball of the match.

Pakistan rode a stroke-filled 81 by Muhammad Shehzad, who hit four boundaries and five sixes, and a late cameo by Ahmad Khan (29 not out) to chase down a target of 238.

Pakistan, needing 8 runs from the final over to win, managed 6 runs from the first five balls. Then Ahmad hit Ravi Kumar for a boundary off the final delivery to seal the game for his side.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan, led by right-arm medium pacer Zeeshan Zameer (5/60), wreaked havoc as they bundled out the opposition for a sub-par 237.

India were reeling at 14/3 at one stage and soon slipped to 41/4. But Harnoor Singh made a patient 59-ball 46, striking six boundaries to steady his team somewhat. Then, ’keeper Aaradhya Yadav’s 83-ball 50, coupled with Kaushal Tambe’s 32 and Rajvardhan Hangargekar’s brisk 33, took India past the 230-run mark.

For India, left-arm medium pacer Raj Bawa (4/56) was the most successful bowler.

Brief scores

India U-19 237 in 49 ovs (Aaradhya Yadav 50, Harnoor Singh 46; Zeeshan Zamir 5/60). Pakistan U-19 240/8 in 50 ovs (Muhammad Shehzad 81; Raj Bawa 4/56). Pak won by 2 wickets.

Written with agency inputs