Uday Saharan, captain of the Indian team that reached the final of the U-19 Men’s World Cup recently, won the ‘Emerging Hero’ award at the Sportstar Sports Conclave, Focus Punjab, in Chandigarh on Wednesday.
Punjab Cricket Association president, Amarjit Singh Mehta, received the award on Saharan’s behalf. “I would like to extend my sincere apologies for not being able to be present due to a cold. I want to express my gratitude to Sportstar for selecting me as the recipient of this award. I am truly humbled and find myself at a loss for words in the face of the overwhelming love and support I have received thus far. This encouragement serves as a powerful inspiration for me to redouble my efforts and work even harder,” Saharan said in a video message.
While ending the U-19 World Cup as the top run-scorer — 397 runs from seven matches — may hold limited significance for India’s captain, given his side fell short in the final, Saharan’s pivotal role in India’s group stage and Super Sixes dominance remains undeniable.
He spearheaded an extraordinary comeback in the semifinal against South Africa; his 171-run stand with Sachin Dhas — the biggest fifth-wicket stand in men’s Under-19 World Cups — helping India recover from a precarious 32 for 4 in pursuit of 245 and catapulted it to a record ninth final.
Saharan had also captained India at the Under-19 Asia Cup in Dubai before the World Cup, where he led the team to the semifinal, where it lost to Bangladesh.
Saharan had caught the attention of the selectors after emerging as the highest scorer at the Under-19 Challenger Trophy held in Guwahati in November last year. He made 297 runs in four innings, with four half-centuries and a best of 93 not out.
Saharan’s impactful leadership was a driving force behind India’s commendable performance throughout the U-19 World Cup.
The conclave was held in association with Hero Motocorp, Indian Oil, Punjab Government, Great Sports Tech, KPMG, and NewsX.
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