India U-19s clinch series 3-1 after final match is tied

India Under-19s faltered on the last ball - with a run needed to win - to tie the final Youth One-Day International against England Under-19s in Mumbai. India took the series 3-1.

S. Radhakrishnan top scored for India with 65.

With the series having been sealed in the host team’s favour, the last of the five Youth ODIs between India Under-19s and England Under-19s may have been considered by many as a dead rubber. But it turned out to be the most exciting match, ending in a nail-biting tie to give both teams a reason to cheer.

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In continuing with the rotation policy, India U-19s – with nine changes from the last game – first restricted England to 226 for nine at the Wankhede Stadium. In a topsy-turvy chase, India was eventually bowled out off the last ball with the scores tied.

The outcome – with England left-arm spinner Larry Patterson-White conceding just five runs off the last over and forcing Ishan Porel to lob the last ball to captain Max Holden at short mid-off – may have appeared to be harsh on the Indian team. But considering the manner in which the tail fought back, even India would have had a sense of achievement.

Jamwal, Thakur lead recovery

When S. Radhakrishnan (65, 93b, 5x4), the most stylish of the batsmen on display on Wednesday, holed out to wide mid-on off left-arm spinner Delray Rawlins in the 33rd over, India was reeling at 137 for seven. The target of 227 appeared to be out of its reach. But Ayush Jamwal, who had earlier emerged as the most successful India bowler, and Yash Thakur then brought the team back with a 65-run partnership.

With both batsmen faltering with the target appearing to be within the reach, the last pair of Porel and Heramb Parab was left to score six off the last over. Parab, the last man, couldn’t score off the first two balls. Patterson-White then bowled a long-hop outside off-stump and Parab cut it through the vacant point region. Parab was beaten off the next ball but managed to dab the penultimate ball for a single to level the scores. With all fielders being called in to save the single, Porel played an innocuous drive that barely reached Holden at short mid-on.

Both the contingents will now travel to Nagpur to play two four-day games.

Brief Scores

England U-19s 226 for nine in 50 overs (George Bartlett 47, Ollie Pope 45; Ayush Jamwal three for 40, Ishan Porel two for 25) tied with India U-19s 226 all out in 50 overs (S. Radhakrishnan 65, Ayush Jamwal 40, Yash Thakur 30; Henry Brookes three for 30, Arthur Godsal two for 40, Delray Rawlins two for 41, Jack Blatherwick two for 52).