The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to conduct a detailed review of India's U19 team's performance in the Asia Cup Final which happened on December 21. The Indian Team led by captain Ayush Mhatre remained unbeaten throughout the tournament but lost the final against Pakistan in Dubai, that too by a huge margin of 191 runs.
India looked in great momentum as they went into the final match but Pakistan came in as an underdog and completely surprised everyone with dominating performance. The Indian Team won the toss and opted to bowl first – a decision which did not go well in their favour as Pakistan scored a massive target of 347 runs in 50 overs. In the second innings, Indian boys could never find a momentum to handle the pressure and ultimately the batting order crumbled following which Pakistan registered a dashing win.
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According to Cricbuzz, an online meeting was conducted on Monday where the apex council discussed about India's defeat and it was decided that a review was necessary. Team manager Salil Datar is expected to submit a detailed report, while head coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar and captain Ayush Mhatre will also be questioned.
The final also saw high tempers with Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre also getting involved in on-field clashes with Pakistan bowler Ali Raza. Even Pakistan team mentor Sarfaraz Ahmed criticised the Indian players for their unsportsmanlike conduct.
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The Asia Cup review comes at a crucial time, with the U19 World Cup just around the corner. While India’s squad for the global tournament is yet to be announced, the BCCI is keen to address performance gaps and disciplinary issues early to avoid setbacks on the world stage.