NEW DELHI: Teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s flop show continued in the Under-19 Asia Cup as the 14-year-old batsman was dismissed for 26 in the final of the tournament against arch-rivals Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday. Sooryavanshi was dismissed in the fifth over of the innings; he was caught behind the stumps by Pakistan wicketkeeper Hamza Zahoor off the bowling of Ali Raza. Raza bowled a short delivery, angled across. Sooryavanshi looked to work his way through the line and got a strong outside edge, Hamza Zahoor took a sharp catch over the head. There was no room for him to free his hands and the ball was also rising.
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Sooryavanshi’s wicket saw India reduced to 49/3 while chasing a mammoth total of 348. Watch Live UpdatesCaptain Ayush Mhatre (2 off 7 balls) and Aaron George (16 off 9 balls) were also dismissed cheaply, putting India in deep trouble. Sooryavanshi also failed to score in the semi-final against Sri Lanka and was dismissed for 9 runs.Earlier, Pakistan opener Sameer Minhas regained glimpses of his precocious talent and scored a brilliant century – his second of the tournament – as Pakistan posted a blistering 347 for 8 in a thrilling final of the Men’s Under-19 Asia Cup on Sunday.One of the standout performers for his side in the event, Minhas hit 172 off 113 deliveries as he fulfilled the aspirations of his side, who lost the group match to arch-enemies by 90 runs at the same venue.Pakistan, who reached the final after a clinical eight-wicket semi-final win against last year’s champions Bangladesh, did not let India, who opted to bowl, settle.Minhas, whose innings was littered with 17 boundaries and nine sixes, improved his century off 71 balls with a four in the 29th over off Devendran.This was Minhas’ second hundred in the competition, having smashed an unbeaten 177 in the opening group match against Malaysia.
