India falls apart in front of Bangladesh

Despite India’s strong showing after their early loss to Pakistan, it was Bangladesh who came out on top in the U-19 Asia Cup final, clinching a 59-run victory at the Dubai Stadium. 

India had been impressive throughout the tournament, defeating Japan, UAE, and crushing Sri Lanka in the semifinals. 

With young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who recently earned an IPL contract, India seemed to be a tough opponent.

But Bangladesh was equally strong. They remained unbeaten in their group matches, securing wins against Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Nepal, and easily defeated Pakistan in the semifinals. 

So, when the two sides faced off in the final, it was bound to be a thrilling contest.

Bangladesh batted first and put up 198 runs on the board, with Shihab James scoring 40, Rizan Hossain 47, and wicketkeeper Farid Hasan adding 39 crucial runs. 

The target was always going to be tough for India, especially with the form Bangladesh’s pace bowlers had shown throughout the tournament. 

Iqbal Hossain Emon and Al Fahad were the leading wicket-takers in the competition, and their impact was felt again in the final.

India’s chase never really got going. Suryavanshi, who had been expected to deliver, managed only 9 runs before being dismissed early. 

None of the Indian batsmen could reach 30, with only four players managing to get into the 20s. Emon, Fahad, and the rest of the Bangladesh bowling attack completely dismantled India, with Emon leading the charge.

Al Fahad struck first, getting rid of India’s opener Ayush Mahatre for just 1 in the second over. Maruf followed up by dismissing Suryavanshi in the fifth over, and from there, the pressure mounted on India. 

Siddharth tried to fight back with a score of 20, but Rizan broke that partnership. Emon then took over, taking three wickets in quick succession, reducing India to 81 for 6. Each of Emon’s wickets came from edges that were caught behind by wicketkeeper Farid.

India had no answer to Bangladesh’s pace attack. 

Captain Aman and lower-order batsman Hardik Raj tried to delay the inevitable, but Bangladesh captain Azizul Hakim finished things off with his spin, taking the final three wickets. 

India’s innings ended at 139, well short of the target.

This win marks Bangladesh’s second consecutive U-19 Asia Cup title. 

They had won their first title last year in Dubai as well, defeating UAE by 195 runs. Today, they once again showed their dominance, both with the bat and ball.

As soon as the final wicket fell, there was little time to celebrate individual performances, as the Bangladesh team had a bigger thing to celebrate, another well-deserved Asia Cup victory!