NEW DELHI: India batters flopped miserably in front of a quality bowling attack as defending champions Bangladesh successfully retained their U19 Asia Cup title, handing the eight-time champions a big 59-run defeat in the summit clash in Dubai on Sunday.
Unable to capitalise on the good job done by the bowlers, the India batters failed collectively, unable to chase a moderate target of 199 in the final.
The loss was India’s third of the day at international level as it turned out to be a forgettable Sunday for country’s cricket.
After Rohit Sharma and Co. suffered an embarrassing 10-wicket defeat against Australia, the senior women’s team also suffered a heavy 122-run defeat and conceded the ODI series.
As It Happened
The U19 boys then ended the day with another flop show as Bangladesh successfully defended their title.
In Dubai, India’s bowlers had restricted Bangladesh to a modest 198 runs in 49.1 overs. This seemed achievable, especially considering India’s batting performance since their opening loss to Pakistan.
However, the final proved to be a different story. India’s batting lineup collapsed twice during the chase, allowing Bangladesh to secure a comfortable victory. Bangladesh’s bowlers and fielders applied consistent pressure, contributing to India’s downfall.
Chasing 199, India were all out for 139 in 35.2 overs as none of the specialist batters made a significant impact. Even Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the young IPL star, only managed 9 runs off 7 balls.
India lost early wickets, with Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre departing quickly. The score stood at 24 for two within the first five overs, putting India in a precarious position early in the chase.
Bangladesh capitalized on the early breakthroughs, restricting the flow of runs and making it difficult for Indian batters to score boundaries and even singles. The approach further increased the pressure on the chasing Indian side amid fall of wickets.
In-form C Andre Siddarth’s — 20 runs off 35 balls — dismissal in the 12th over was the turning point that shifted the momentum firmly in Bangladesh’s favor.
Iqbal Hossain Emon became the wrecker-in-chief for Bangladesh. He took three crucial wickets in quick succession, dismissing KP Karthikeya (21), Nikhil Kumar (0), and Harvansh Pangalia (6). This effectively ended India’s hopes of a successful chase.
Mohamed Amaan offered some resistance with a patient 26 runs off 65 balls while Hardik Raj managed 24 off 21 but it proved to be insufficient in changing the outcome of the game.
Azizul Hakim’s devastating spell of 3 wickets for 8 runs in just 2.2 overs sealed India’s fate.
Earlier, in the first innings, several Bangladeshi batsmen made valuable contributions. Rizan Hossain scored 47 runs, Mohammad Shihab James made 40, and Farid Hasan added 39. The contributions proved crucial in a match where scoring freely was a challenge for both sides.
India’s bowlers largely dominated the first innings, keeping Bangladesh’s scoring rate in check. Bangladesh struggled to reach the 200-run mark, consuming almost their entire quota of overs.
Yudhajit Guha was the most successful bowler for India, taking 2 wickets for 29 runs. Chetan Sharma (2/48) and Hardik Raj (2/41) also contributed with two wickets each.
Kiran Chormale bowled economically, conceding only 19 runs in his 7 overs and picking up one wicket. Karthikeya (1/37) and Mhatre (1/9) also chipped in with a wicket apiece. Their combined efforts helped restrict Bangladesh to a below-par total.
Despite the bowlers’ efforts to restrict Bangladesh to a manageable total, the Indian batters failed to capitalize, leading to a disappointing defeat in the final.
