U-19 Asia Cup: Captain Amaan’s Century Leads India to Dominant 211-Run Victory Over Japan

India bounced back emphatically in the Under-19 Asia Cup with a resounding 211-run victory against Japan, thanks to skipper Mohamed Amaan’s unbeaten 122. The Group A match in Sharjah saw India rediscover their form after a disappointing opening loss to Pakistan, reigniting their campaign with a dominant performance.

Winning the toss, Japan opted to field, hoping to contain India’s batting lineup. The initial signs were promising for Japan as they managed to break a solid 65-run opening partnership between Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Suryavanshi (23) in 7.2 overs. However, India’s batters soon found their groove.

Mhatre hammered a quick fifty but fell for 54 to Aarav Tiwari. Andre Siddarth (35 off 48) provided some stability before perishing at a crucial juncture, leaving India at 139/3 in the 22nd over. From there, Captain Mohamed Amaan took control, crafting a masterful unbeaten 122. Using strike rotation as his primary weapon, Amaan laced his innings with seven boundaries, ensuring India piled on the runs.

Late cameos from KP Karthikeya (57) and Hardik Raj (25*) further boosted India’s total to a formidable 339/6, leaving Japan’s bowlers struggling to stem the flow of runs.

Chasing 340, Japan found themselves under immediate pressure. Opener Hugo Kelly stood out with a gritty 50 off 111 balls, and Charles Hinze contributed an unbeaten 35 from 68 deliveries. Despite their efforts, Japan’s batters struggled to keep up with the required run rate.

India’s disciplined bowling attack, led by KP Karthikeya, Hardik Raj, and Chetan Sharma, who took two wickets each, restricted Japan to 128/8 in their 50 overs. Yudhajit Guha chipped in with a wicket to cap off a clinical bowling display.