Usman century and fifties from Qadir and Yousaf set India 338 to win Under-19 Asia Cup

Innings Pakistan 337 for 9 (Usman 107, Qadir 80, Yousaf 63, Kavya 4-68, Venkata 3-40) vs India

Opener Usman Khan's fourth century in Under-19 ODIs, a blistering 54-ball 80 from Abdul Qadir, and a half-century later in the innings from captain Farhan Yousaf took Pakistan Under-19s to 337 for 9 as they look to defend their Asia Cup title against India Under-19s.

In a repeat match-up of the final last year, Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat on a fresh pitch in Al Amerat. They looked set for a lot more in the hot and dusty conditions, having reached 204 for 2 after 30 overs, but a death-overs comeback from India - headlined by a four-for from Kavya Paresh Patel - meant the last ten overs allowed only 63 runs, with six wickets falling.

Pakistan had blazed away early on, scoring 93 for 1 in the batting powerplay. India's quicks went too full in their search for swing with the new ball, shared by Mohit Ulva and Kavya, and Usman and fellow opener Hayam Khan took full toll as they erred with their lengths.

Hayam (21) fell in the ninth over, to Kavya, skipping down the track to a wide delivery and sending an outside edge to the wicketkeeper. Kavya had anticipated his movement because till then, the Pakistan batters had used their feet quite effectively to throw India's bowlers off their lengths. They continued doing so even after the powerplay, as Usman and Qadir shared a 135-run partnership off just 18.5 overs for the second wicket.

Qadir was the aggressor, even as Usman scored at just under a-run-a-ball at the other end. Qadir smashed eight sixes and three fours during his first fifty at this level. The highlight of his innings came early, in the ninth over itself, when he played a high-elbowed front-foot pull off Kavya. Thereafter, the two batters continued to be aggressive even against the spinners. In particular left-arm spinner Manal Chauhan, who went wicketless in his three-over spell for 40 runs.

Qadir finally fell in the 27th over, looking to continue his high-risk batting but holing out with a leading edge to the covers off Arjun Rajput.

Usman brought up his century in the company of his captain, and the two continued to rotate the strike in a more tepid 43-run stand in 9.3 overs. Usman fell in the 37th over, looking to up the ante, caught at mid-off off Kavya.

While Yousaf played the ball late and smartly, often behind square, he could not accelerate as well during his 60-ball 63. He departed in the 45th over, hoicking a slower delivery to long-on, and by then, India's comeback was well underway. Yousaf had been prised out by Chigurupati Venkata - he made an expensive start and came back with two wickets in the same over - who was in the XI as replacement for India's highest wicket-taker in the tournament, Ishan Sood, who was out with a back niggle.

Venkata completed his three-for from one end, and Kavya his four-for from the other. The two deployed slower deliveries well as Pakistan could not generate enough pace off their bat-swing to find boundaries as easily as they did against the new ball. The pitch began gripping in the death overs, and with smart variations in pace by both bowlers, India had restricted Pakistan from 274 for 3 at the end of 40 overs, to 337 for 9.