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Former Indian cricketer Madan Lal congratulated the Indian Under-19 team for their thrilling one-wicket victory over Pakistan in the final of the 2026 ACC Men's Under-19 Asia Cup, saying such results reflect the positive direction of Indian cricket and will give young players confidence.
India pulled off a remarkable chase at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman on Saturday, overhauling Pakistan's imposing total of 337/9 to finish at 339/9 in the final over and secure their ninth title in the tournament. Speaking to ANI after the final, Madan Lal said victories in high-pressure matches would help strengthen the country's cricketing future, with the junior players eventually progressing to the senior team. "First of all, I'd like to congratulate them on winning such a great match. When you win matches like this, it shows that your cricket is heading in the right direction. And these wins will give a lot of confidence to our Under-19 kids. A country with good junior cricket will automatically have good senior cricket too, because these boys will gradually move up to the senior team. And what Mohit Ulva did in the last over shows that he has a lot of confidence to win the game at that time," he said. India's chase was anchored by captain Lakshya Rajesh Raichandani, who scored 80 off 101 deliveries, while Aaryavir Sehwag contributed 58 off 61 balls. Manal Chauhan added 47 off 32 deliveries before Mohit Ulva's unbeaten 49 off just 26 balls took India over the line. Chigurupati Venkata remained unbeaten on 11. Madan Lal also praised the contributions of the young batters, highlighting how performances at this level could help them make a case for a place in the senior national side. "The batting was good. Lakshya [Raichandani] batted really well, and Aaryavir Sehwag played quite well too. Look, these are youngsters, and whenever they perform well, they are showing that they are here and can also play for India. So all these things are really good for Indian cricket," he said. Earlier, Pakistan had put up a formidable total after opting to bat. Usman Khan struck 107 off 111 balls, while Abdul Qadir scored 80 off 54 deliveries and captain Farhan Yousaf added 63 off 60 balls. For India, Kavya Patel claimed four wickets for 68 runs, while Chigurupati Venkata took three. The victory ended India's five-year wait for the Under-19 Asia Cup title, with their previous triumph coming in 2021, when they defeated Sri Lanka in the UAE. India remain the most successful side in the competition with nine titles, including the shared crown in 2012. While celebrating the achievement, Madan Lal also reminded the youngsters that their journey was only beginning. "I'd like to congratulate them and also say that the road ahead is very long, but you won the match today, so you should definitely enjoy it. It's a victory, and it's really important to celebrate it too," he said. (ANI)
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