Mohit Ulva struck a boundary off the final ball of the 50th over on Saturday to give India Under-19 a one-wicket victory over defending champions Pakistan Under-19 in the 2026 ACC Men’s U-19 Asia Cup final at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Muscat. Chasing a target of 338 after Pakistan posted 337 for 9, India recovered from 252 for 8 in the 42nd over to finish at 339 for 9, ending Pakistan’s unbeaten run in the tournament and avenging a group-stage loss from six days earlier.
According to the Pakistan Cricket Board, Ulva finished unbeaten on 49 off 26 deliveries with five fours and three sixes to earn Player of the Match honors. Number 11 batter Chigurupati Venkata, who only entered India’s starting lineup for the final in place of the injured Ishan Sood, stayed with Ulva for an unbeaten 30-run tenth-wicket partnership and finished on 11 not out off eight balls with two fours, following up his first-innings spell of 3 for 40 from five overs.
How India pulled off the late chase
India’s reply started quickly through captain Lakshya Raichandani and opener Aaryavir Sehwag, the son of former India opener Virender Sehwag. The pair put on 95 runs for the first wicket before Sehwag was caught by Usman Khan off Niqab Shafiq for 58 off 61 balls, an innings that included nine fours, in the 18th over. Sehwag’s tournament tally earned him the Player of the Tournament award.
Raichandani anchored the chase with 80 off 101 deliveries, hitting five boundaries, while VK Vineeth added 24 off 21 balls and Arjun Rajput chipped in 16 off 18. Pakistan’s bowlers then triggered a collapse that turned a comfortable platform at 146 for 1 into a deep hole. While Dawn Sport reported that Raichandani fell at 217 in the 37th over and India lost their eighth wicket one run later at 252, the official match scorecard shows Raichandani departed at 217 for 5 in 36.2 overs and wicketkeeper Anvay Dravid (19 off 12) was run out by Pakistan captain Farhan Yousaf on the very next ball at 217 for 6. After Yashbardhan Singh Chauhan made 9 off 5, Aryan Savsani fell for 9 off 14 at 251 for 7 in the 41st over, and Kavya Paresh Patel departed for a two-ball duck one run later to leave India at 252 for 8 in 41.3 overs.
Needing 86 runs from the final 51 balls with two wickets in hand, Ulva and number 10 Manal Chauhan counterattacked with a 57-run stand for the ninth wicket. Chauhan clubbed three fours and three sixes in a 32-ball 47 before Usman caught him off Shafiq at 309 for 9 in 47.2 overs, leaving 29 runs to get from 16 balls.
Ulva and Venkata trimmed the equation to eight runs off the final over, bowled by leg-spinner Ahmed Hussain. With three runs still required off the last delivery of the match, Ulva sent Hussain to the fence to seal the trophy, aided by 17 extras in the innings (eight leg byes and nine wides). Rizwanullah led Pakistan’s attack with 3 for 53 in 10 overs, Shafiq took 2 for 57 in 10, Ali Raza finished with 1 for 65 in 10, Mohammad Sayyam took 1 for 79 in 10, and Hasnain Abbas Dar claimed one wicket.
After the trophy presentation, Raichandani told reporters that the match had been an emotional roller coaster, adding that the squad kept believing on a good batting pitch because India fielded nearly 11 batters. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated the team on social media, calling the title win an outstanding day for Indian cricket that would inspire young players across the country.
Usman Khan and Abdul Qadir power Pakistan to 337
Earlier on Saturday, Pakistan won the toss, chose to bat on Ministry Turf 1, and looked on track for a total well past 350 when they reached 204 for 2 at the 25-over mark. Left-handed opener Usman Khan and Hayam Khan opened with a 62-run stand before Hayam fell in the ninth over for 21 off 23 balls, having hit four boundaries.
Usman then joined Abdul Qadir for a 135-run second-wicket partnership. Qadir accelerated the scoring with 80 off 54 balls, clearing the ropes eight times alongside three fours before falling on the final delivery of the 27th over at 197 for 2. Usman stayed in to bring up his second century of the tournament, scoring 107 off 111 balls with 11 fours and three sixes before departing in the 37th over at 240 for 3.
Captain Farhan Yousaf kept the scoreboard moving with 63 off 60 balls (four fours, three sixes) and put on 59 for the fourth wicket with Ahmed Hussain, who made 17 off 20. India’s bowlers dragged back the scoring rate in the last 10 overs as wicketkeeper Hamza Zahoor made 10 off 10, Dar scored 2 off 4, Sayyam made 7 off 7, Shafiq hit 11 off 9 with one six, Rizwanullah finished 4 not out off 3, and Raza remained 0 not out off 1, alongside 15 extras. Kavya Paresh Patel led India with 4 for 68 in 10 overs, backed by Venkata’s 3 for 40 and Rajput’s 1 for 43 in seven overs.
How both teams reached the Muscat final
Pakistan had arrived at Saturday’s title clash without a loss in four outings at Al Amerat. They opened the tournament on Nov. 6 by beating the United Arab Emirates by nine wickets (225 for 1 to 224), defeated India by three wickets on Nov. 8 (209 for 7 in 48.1 overs to 208 in 46.3 overs), beat Nepal by 101 runs on Nov. 10 (275 for 7 to 174), and knocked out Bangladesh by nine wickets in the first semi-final on Nov. 12 (141 for 1 in 21.5 overs to 138).
India started their campaign on Nov. 6 with a 10-wicket win over Nepal (129 for 0 in 19.1 overs to 128), where Sood won Player of the Match before the injury that sidelined him for the final. Following their group-stage defeat to Pakistan on Nov. 8, India rebounded to beat the UAE by 70 runs on Nov. 10 (309 for 7 to 239) and defeated Afghanistan by eight wickets in the second semi-final on Nov. 12 (230 for 2 in 36.5 overs to 227 for 8).