From village tennis ball cricket to U-19 Asia Cup hero: Who is Mohit Ulva, India's matchwinner against Pakistan?

Mohit Ulva held his nerve in a high pressure situation. Needing three runs from the very last delivery against Pakistan in the Under-19 Asia Cup final, the 18-year-old right handed batter drove leg-spinner Ahmed Hussain wide of long off for a four, sealing a remarkable one wicket triumph and bringing the title home to India, TOI reported.

Pursuing a formidable target of 338, India looked all but beaten at 252 for eight during the 42nd over. However, Ulva teamed up with Manal Chauhan to spark a dramatic turnaround, putting together a gutsy 57-run stand for the ninth wicket. Manal chipped in with a brisk 47 from 32 deliveries, while Ulva anchored the death overs with an unbeaten 49 off a mere 26 balls.

Also read: Aaryavir Sehwag, Lakshya Raichandani star as India beat Pakistan to win U19 Asia Cup


When Manal fell with the score at 302, India still faced a steep climb of 36 runs with only their final wicket intact. Ulva found a steady ally in number 11 batter C Venkata, who stayed unbeaten on 11 from eight balls. Together, they whittled the target down to eight runs required from the last over, setting the stage for Ulva's match-winning boundary on the final ball.

So, who is the young cricketer who stepped up as India's unexpected savior in a high-stakes final?

From rural tennis-ball pitches to India's Under-19s

Now an 18-year-old right-arm medium-pace bowler and right-handed batter, Ulva first picked up the game playing tennis-ball cricket back in his village. Seeing his raw talent early on, his father, an employee with the Railway Protection Force, pushed him to take up structured coaching at an academy.

This led Ulva to the Cricket Bungalow in Jamnagar, where he honed his skills under Mahendrasinh Chauhan, the very same coach who mentored Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.

Trading off-spin for raw pace

Surprisingly, fast bowling wasn't Ulva's original craft; he started out training as an off-spinner. It was Chauhan who noticed an untapped dimension in the youngster's game.

Noting Ulva's athletic, lean build and strong running stamina, the coach advised him to switch to pace bowling. That guidance proved pivotal, transforming him into a capable right-arm medium pacer. He steadily climbed the ranks through Saurashtra's junior setup before securing his spot on the India Under-19 roster.

A match-winning knock against Pakistan

This Asia Cup final innings has the makings of a turning point in Ulva's burgeoning career. His heroics rescued an Indian side teetering on the edge of elimination while chasing Pakistan's imposing 338. Despite a solid 95-run opening stand from Aaryavir Sehwag (58) and skipper Lakshya Raichandani (80), a sudden middle-order slump left India reeling at 252 for eight in the 42nd over.

With Pakistan firmly in control, Ulva walked out to join Manal Chauhan, and the pair mounted an extraordinary counterattack. Their 57-run ninth-wicket partnership breathed new life into the chase, fueled by Manal's 47 off 32 balls and Ulva's explosive 49 not out off 26.

Manal took on the bulk of the hard running between the wickets before his dismissal at 302 left India needing 36 more runs with just one wicket left. Alongside number 11 C Venkata (11 not out off eight deliveries), Ulva navigated the penultimate overs to leave eight needed off the final six balls.

With the equation down to three runs off the final delivery, Ulva dispatched Pakistani leg-spinner Ahmed Hussain wide of long-off to the fence, clinching an unforgettable one-wicket win and the U-19 Asia Cup crown for India.

(With inputs from TOI)