Biggest Wins By India In Under-19 Asia Cup

Aakash Saini

5 biggest wins by India in Under 19 Asia Cup [Source: @ACCMedia1/x]5 biggest wins by India in Under 19 Asia Cup [Source: @ACCMedia1/x]

Team India, with eight titles, is undoubtedly the most decorated team in the history of Under-19 Asia Cups. The ‘Boys in Blue’ have the tendency of glittering their Under-19 Asia Cup campaigns by recording some of the biggest margin of victories in history.

Shortly after the Mohamed Amaan-led team ravaged Japan by 211 runs in 2024, here we take a look at five biggest wins, in terms of runs, recorded by the Indian team in Under-19 Asia Cup matches.

5. 189 runs vs Bangladesh Under 19, 2003

In match five of the 2003 Asia Cup Under-19 tournament in Pakistan, the Indian Under-19 team walloped their Bangladeshi counterparts by 189 runs. Under the leadership of Ambati Rayudu, the ‘Boys in Blue’ carted 223 from 48.4 overs, with then youngsters Dinesh Karthik and Suresh Raina chipping in with 77 and 47 runs respectively. Robin Uthappa and captain Rayudu failed to negotiate the new ball threat to crash to 40-4 at one stage of the match.

Later in the run-chase, fast bowling prodigy Irfan Pathan picked up nine wickets for just 16 runs in 7.5 overs to skittle Bangladesh’s entire line-up for just 34. The outcome helped India blaze into the finals of the Asia Cup, where they defeated table-toppers Sri Lanka to lift the title.

4. 202 runs vs Malaysia Under 19, 2017

The Indian Under-19 team lit up the 2017 Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur with a 202-run trouncing of hosts Malaysia in the opening match itself. Captain and opening batter Himanshu Rana justified his own call of batting first by hauling 107 runs at the top of the order. Salman Khan at number four belted a near run-a-ball 67 and Darshan Nalkande’s 14-ball 25 fueled India’s total to 310-7 from 50 overs. In response, Nalkande picked up three wickets in seven overs while Vivekanand Tiwari and Shiva Singh also struck twice each to envelop the entire Malaysian innings for just 108 in 37.1 overs.

3. 211 runs vs Japan Under 19, 2024

211 runs vs Japan Under 19, 2024 [Source: @BCCI/x]211 runs vs Japan Under 19, 2024 [Source: @BCCI/x]

Compensating for the opening loss to Pakistan, India Under-19 pulverized Japan Under-19 in their very next Group A outing at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in match number eight of the 2024 Asia Cup. Batting first, half-centuries from opener Ayush Mhatre and KP Karthikeya and a scintillating ton from unbeaten captain Mohamed Amaan bolstered India to a staggering 339-6 from 50 overs. Bowlers Chetan Sharma (2-14), Hardik Raj (2-9) and KP Karthikeya (2-21) collectively kept Japan down to just 128-8 in the run-chase as India secured a huge 211-run win.

2. 227 runs vs UAE Under 19, 2018

In their path towards winning the 2018 Under-19 Asia Cup, India crushed UAE Under-19 by 227 runs in one of the Group A games of the competition in Bangladesh. Opening batters Anuj Rawat and Devdutt Padikkal unleashed majestic centuries during their 205-run partnership before swift 40s from captain Pavan Shah and Sameer Choudhary rushed India to 354-6 from 50 overs. Ayush Badoni at number seven also clobbered 21* from just eight balls with three huge sixes to turbo-charge the innings at the death.

In response, Indian left-arm spinner Siddharth Desai picked up six wickets in 8.5 overs for 24 runs to fold up UAE for just 127 in less than 34 overs. Rajesh Mohanty, Sabir Khan and Ajay Gangapuram also chipped in with a wicket each as India secured a huge table-topping win in Savar.

1. 235 runs vs Malaysia Under 19, 2016

In a team featuring the likes of future international stars Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma and Rahul Chahar; India Under 19 handed a 235-run larruping to Malaysia in one of the Group A matches of the 2016 Under 19 Asia Cup in Colombo. Shaw (89 off 79), captain Abhishek (59 off 66) and wicketkeeper Het Patel (58* off 62) headlined India’s dominance with the bat to take them to 289-8 from 50 overs.

In pursuit of 290, Malaysia had their entire response halted at 54 in 22.3 overs courtesy of India’s collective bowling brilliance, primarily orchestrated by new ball seamer Kamlesh Nagarkoti (4-12), Yash Thakur (2-19) and captain Abhishek (2-9).