Muscat (Oman), Nov 14 (IANS) Mohit Ulva said his belief in himself and faith in God helped him stay calm under pressure as he struck the winning boundary off the final delivery to guide India U19 to a thrilling one-wicket victory over Pakistan in the U19 Asia Cup final at Al Amerat near Muscat in Oman on Saturday.
Named Player of the Match for his crucial unbeaten 49, Ulva played a decisive role in India’s successful chase of 338 at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground (Ministry Turf 2) on Saturday. India finished at 339/9 in 50 overs to clinch the title for a record-extending ninth time.
Reflecting on his mindset during the tense final over, Ulva said he was confident of getting the job done despite India’s position in the match.
“Nothing much. I just had belief in myself and faith in God. My Asia Cup hadn’t been particularly great until then. I knew I was a bowler, but I also believed that I was an all-rounder. However, I hadn’t got enough opportunities to prove myself yet. But I always believed that I could do it,” he said after the match.
India needed eight runs from the final six deliveries, with Pakistan requiring just one wicket to seal the title. The equation came down to three runs from the last ball, but Ulva held his nerve and struck Ahmed Hussain for a boundary to complete the chase. “I was just waiting for that one ball. I knew I could hit a boundary and finish the game. I had complete faith in God. I knew it was my day and I would finish the game,” he said.
Ulva also credited the support he received from Manal Chauhan and Chigurupati Venkata, who remained at the other end during the closing stages. Manal scored 47 off 32 balls and shared a 57-run partnership with Ulva before being dismissed in the 47th over.
“The momentum he created by going out to bat before me and setting things up was incredible. I just had to go out there and deliver,” Ulva said about Manal’s contribution.
He also praised Venkata for boosting his confidence during the tense finish. “He kept telling me, ‘No, you can do it. Just go out and play. You will finish it.’ The belief he gave me, that the two of us could get the job done on the last ball, strengthened my own confidence,” he added.
Ulva said batting at number 10 had also worked in his favour, describing it as a lucky position for him. He revealed that the team had entered the chase with confidence, believing the flat pitch and their strong batting line-up gave them a chance to chase the target.
Captain Lakshya Raichandani led the chase with 80, while Aaryavir Sehwag contributed 58. After India slipped to 254/8, Manal and Ulva revived the innings before Venkata joined the latter to take India across the finish line.
“Before I went out to bat, sir personally came up to me and said, ‘You can do it. Just believe in yourself.’ So, I went out there and simply watched the ball and hit the ball. I wasn’t thinking about what was happening or what might happen next. I wasn’t overthinking anything. I was just watching the ball and playing my shots,” Ulva said.
Pakistan had posted 337/9, with Usman Khan scoring 107, Abdul Qadir making 80 and captain Farhan Yousaf adding 63. For India, Kavya Patel took four wickets and Chigurupati Venkata claimed three.
Rizwanullah picked up three wickets for Pakistan in India’s chase, while Niqab Shafiq took two.
–IANS
sds/bsk/