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In an electric finish of the ACC U-19 Asia Cup 2024, held in Dubai, Bangladesh outplayed India by a massive margin of 59 runs to win the much-hyped title for the second time. The final contest was played on **8 December 2024**, where Bangladesh displayed their caliber under pressure to win the battle.
This victory is highly important for Bangladesh, which had been considered the favorite to win the tournament before the start of the tournament. Their impressive performances throughout the competition led to an excellent finale, where they outperformed India, who had entered the title clash after winning three successive matches in the tournament.
Bangladesh’s Strong Batting Puts Them in the Game
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India won the toss and elected to bowl first to limit Bangladesh’s total on the day. Bangladesh’s top-order batters then took control of the match, reaching a good score. Muhammad Sahib James was Bangladesh’s top-scorer with 40 runs for Bangladesh, while Mohammad Rizwan Hussain added a valuable 47 runs. Another batter, Wicket-keeper batter Farid Hasan Faisal, contributed 39 runs to lead Bangladesh into all out for 198 runs in 49.1 overs.
It was Indian bowling which battled well, Yudhjit Guha and Chetan Sharma with two wickets, and Hardik Raj did as well. There was support also from Kiran Chormai, KP Karthikeya, and Ayush Mhatre with a single scalp of a batsman from the Bangla-tackers’ innings from getting too far ahead of Indian runs. But in that attempt, the bowlers failed as lower-order Bangladeshis added considerably to put the match on competitive lines.
India’s Batting Collapse in U-19 Asia Cup final
India, chasing 199 runs to win, was very confident to clinch the title. The Indian team’s batting line-up went haywire under pressure, as they were bowled out for just 139 runs in 35.2 overs, thus failing by 59 runs. India’s chase started losing wickets at a regular interval. Indian skipper Mohammad Aman remained the most successful batsman, with his 26 runs. However, the rest of the batting order failed to capitalize, as no other Indian batsman was able to make a significant contribution.
The Bangladesh batting proved solid, while India failed to capitalize on the manageable target in a shocking defeat. Bangladesh bowlers, led by Iqbal Hossain Emon who was declared Player of the Match, did not let the Indian batsmen breathe for a moment. Brilliant bowling by Emon was India’s downfall, and the player was also declared the Player of the Series for his performances throughout the series.
Bangladesh’s Bowling Supremacy
The Indian batting order was under constant pressure from Bangladesh’s bowlers, who did not let the Indian side get any momentum. Iqbal Hossain Emon led the way with a fantastic bowling performance, supported by his teammates, who kept India’s chase in check. Bangladesh’s disciplined bowling attack dismantled India’s hopes of chasing down the target, with key wickets falling at crucial stages of the game.
Path to Glory: Bangladesh’s Consistency IN U-19 Asia Cup
Bangladesh’s win at the finals was a result of good steady performance all throughout. Going into the final, Bangladesh had carried its title from the previous tournament to that point and showed thorough success in getting past competition towards retaining their title. Young Bangladesh squad produced enough solidity in all-round cricket by featuring in the final very outstandingly. In each scenario, Bangladesh were highly adjustable and did not fold easily under pressure character distinguishing their performance in this event of the tournament.
India’s Disappointment
India ended the tournament on a disappointing note. They had done well enough to make it to the final from the earlier rounds of play. However, when it mattered most, they faltered and allowed the weaknesses in their batting line-up to surface, especially in the top order. This defeat would be a matter of reflection for India as they try to regroup and learn from this defeat while chasing a target of 199 runs.
The Future
Bangladesh has cemented its status as the force to reckon with in youth cricket as it won the U-19 Asia Cup for the second time. It proves how strong the cricketing structure is, and that its young cricketers hold enough promise to achieve what other teams in the circuit do not. India would surely take heart from the fact that winning it all seems elusive despite consistently good performances at the group stage level.
As the tournament concludes, both teams will return to their respective countries, with Bangladesh celebrating their well-deserved win and India looking to regroup for future challenges. The next edition of the U-19 Asia Cup will no doubt see these two teams, along with others, battling once again for supremacy in youth cricket.
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