BCCI's 'Beyond Usual' Step After Ayush Mhatre, Vaibhav Suryavanshi And Co's U-19 Asia Cup Final Loss vs Pakistan

India U-19

The star-studded Indian cricket team, which had IPL players like Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre, reached the U-19 Asia Cup final unbeaten but lost the title clash against Pakistan

The U-19 Asia Cup did not end well for the Indian team. The star-studded side, which had IPL players like Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre, reached the final unbeaten but lost the title clash against Pakistan by a huge 191-run margin. Once Pakistan posted a mammoth 347/8, riding on Sameer Minhas' 172 (113b, 17x4, 9x6), India needed a lion-hearted chase to clinch a ninth title in the tournament. But the tall Pakistan pace troika - Ali Reza (4/42), Mohammad Sayyam (2/38) and Abdul Subhan (2/29) - hurried through the top order with consistent hard lengths as India folded for 156 in 26.2 overs. Suryavanshi, who began the tournament with a 171 against UAE, scored 26, while Chennai Super Kings player Mhatre was out for 2.

"The decision was taken at an online Apex Council meeting on Monday (December 22) evening, where members discussed the team's overall showing in the tournament and felt there was a need to seek explanations from the team management," the report stated.

While generally the team manager always submits a report to BCCI after any tournament, this time the BCCI is likely to "go beyond the usual review process" and hold discussions with head coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar and captain Mhatre.

The final match saw heated moments, with Mhatre and Suryavanshi engaging in a heated altercation with their rivals from Pakistan. Whether player conduct will be part of the review is not yet known.

The current U-19 side is preparing for the Under-19 World Cup scheduled for January-February 2026.

After the final loss against Pakistan, India skipper Mhatre said: "We were clear to bowl first; there were some inconsistencies in the line of the bowling. It was a simple plan to play the 50 overs. The boys really played well, and the tournament was good for us, and some players stood up."