India’s Under-19 team produced a remarkable comeback to defeat Pakistan by one wicket in the ACC Men’s U-19 Asia Cup 2026 final in Al Amerat on November 14. The young Indian side chased down a target of 338 on the final delivery, with Mohit Ulva playing a match-winning unbeaten knock under pressure.

Following the thrilling victory, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia addressed the question of prize money for the young champions and backed their animated celebrations against Pakistan. He urged people not to focus on financial rewards at this stage of their careers, while praising the team for fighting back from a difficult position to lift the trophy.

India stun Pakistan in U19 Asia Cup final 2026

India defeated defending champions Pakistan by one wicket in a last-ball thriller to win the Under-19 Asia Cup title. Pakistan, who elected to bat first, posted a formidable 337/9 in their 50 overs, putting the Indian batters under pressure in the chase.

Usman Khan led Pakistan's innings with a brilliant 107 off 111 deliveries, while Abdul Qadir contributed 80 from 54 balls. Captain Farhan Yousaf also scored 63 off 60 deliveries to help Pakistan reach a challenging total. For India, Kavya Patel was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets for 68 runs.

India's chase was initially guided by captain Lakshya Raichandani, who scored 80 off 101 balls, and Aaryavir Sehwag, who added 58 from 61 deliveries. However, Pakistan kept picking up wickets and reduced India to 252/8, leaving the team with a difficult task in the closing stages.

Manal Chauhan and Mohit Ulva then produced a crucial 57-run partnership for the ninth wicket. Manal scored 47 off 32 balls before departing, while Ulva continued to keep India's hopes alive. Chigurupati Venkata added an unbeaten 11 from eight deliveries, giving Ulva the support needed at the other end.

India required eight runs in the final over and needed three from the last ball. Ulva struck a boundary to take the team to 339/9 and seal a memorable one-wicket victory. He finished unbeaten on 49 from just 26 balls and was named Player of the Match. Aaryavir Sehwag, who scored 361 runs in the tournament, received the Player of the Series award.

BCCI breaks silence on prize money for India U19 stars after Asia Cup win and aggressive celebration

The victory was followed by animated celebrations from the Indian players, with some of them making gestures towards their Pakistani opponents. The scenes attracted attention after the final, but Saikia backed the young team's reaction and said their celebrations reflected the character they had shown during the match.

The BCCI Secretary also played down the discussion around financial rewards, insisting that the players should concentrate on their cricket and value the experience gained from such a high-pressure final. Speaking to ANI, he said:

"These are still young players—please don’t bring up topics like prize money or financial rewards; they should be focusing entirely on their game. They will have their whole lives to earn prize money, but the experience and confidence they’ve gained today will serve as a massive impetus for their future careers. Nothing could be more valuable than that..."

When asked about the team's aggressive celebration after the win, Devajit Saikia added:

"That reflects their character and fighting spirit. Consider how much of a cliffhanger today’s match was—at one point, it really didn't look like it was in India’s favour... Yet, India managed to win. This speaks volumes about the team's confidence level and their 'never-say-die' attitude. When they win a match from such a difficult position, they certainly deserve to celebrate; that’s something we must allow..."

All the glory goes to the boys, young champions of the India Under-19 team - BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia

Devajit Saikia also congratulated the players and support staff for their efforts throughout the tournament. He credited the team for recovering from an early setback against Pakistan and delivering when the title was on the line.

The BCCI Secretary further praised the work being done at the junior level, highlighting the importance of the Under-19 setup in preparing players for the senior national team. He said:

"...All the glory goes to the boys, young champions of the India Under-19 team. The whole country and the BCCI are extremely happy... I congratulate the complete team, as well as the full support staff, for their excellent job, who stood rock-solid behind the team..."

"This was such a crucial match, especially considering we had lost to Pakistan in our opening game of the tournament. Yet, in the final, the most important match of the tournament, the team fought back from a position where victory seemed unlikely, taking it down to the very last ball of the final over to clinch the win. This truly reveals the team's character—it’s a testament to their determination, dedication, and confidence."