Pakistan defeated India by three wickets on Sunday, November 8
Hamza Zahoor scored an unbeaten 100 off 108 balls
Arjun Rajput scored a hundred for India in the first innings
Hamza Zahoor (100* off 108 balls) and Hasnain Abbas Dar's century stand for the sixth wicket helped Pakistan defeat India by three wickets in the ACC U-19 Asia Cup on Sunday, November 8.
Chasing 209, Pakistan's innings initially slipped to 61/5, thrilling Indian fans. However, Zahoor and Dar staged a remarkable turnaround, adding 107 runs off 140 balls to steer Pakistan into a comfortable position in the chase.
Manal Chauhan dismissed Dar (38 off 67 balls) to add a late twist to the contest, but Zahoor stayed firm until the end to guide Pakistan across the finish line.
Arjun Rajput's Heroics
Earlier, Arjun Rajput's brilliant 107 off 85 balls had put India in a fighting position to defend their total and make a comeback after a disastrous start.
After opting to bat first, India suffered an early blow when captain Lakshya Raichandani was dismissed without scoring on the second ball of the innings. The top order collapsed from there, slipping to 86/5.
Arjun Rajput took charge with a positive approach, punishing loose deliveries and scoring freely. He seemed to be batting on a completely different pitch compared to the other batters.
He scored more than half of India's total. When he got out, it looked like India might fall short of the 200-run mark, but a late fightback led by Kavya Patel (23) pushed India past the milestone. Aaryavir Sehwag contributed 22 off 40, while Anvay Dravid (10) and Manal Chauhan (11) chipped in. Ali Raza was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of 3/37, while Rizwanullah and Naqib also claimed 3 wickets apiece. India finished with 208 in 46.3 overs.
