India clinched the inaugural Under-19 Women’s Asia Cup title on December 22, 2024, defeating Bangladesh by 41 runs in the final held at Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur.
This victory marked a historic achievement for India, who triumphed in the first-ever edition of the tournament. The Indian team, led by captain Niki Prasad, showcased a collective effort, with key performances from Gongadi Trisha and the bowlers propelling them to victory.
India were put in to bat first, but they faced early struggles with the bat. The team could only muster 117 runs for the loss of seven wickets. Gongadi Trisha played a crucial role in providing stability to the innings, scoring a resilient half-century.
She made 52 runs from 47 balls, including five boundaries and two sixes. However, other than Trisha, the Indian batters failed to make substantial contributions, with skipper Niki Prasad getting into double figures but falling short of a big score.
Mithila Vinod’s quick-fire 17 runs off 12 balls gave India some late momentum, but the team was unable to push their total beyond 117.
Bangladesh’s bowlers were excellent, with Farjana Easmin leading the charge. Easmin bowled a brilliant spell, taking four wickets for 31 runs in her four overs, while the in-form Nishita Akter Nishi also picked up two crucial wickets.
Bangladesh’s bowlers kept the Indian batters on edge, ensuring that the run rate never soared too high.
In response, Bangladesh's chase was far from ideal. They lost their openers early, with Mosammat Eva and Sumaiya Akhter failing to get into double digits.
Fahomida Choya and Juairiya Ferdous made brief contributions, scoring 18 and 22 runs, respectively, but the pressure from the Indian bowlers was relentless. The turning point came when Bangladesh’s captain, Sumaiya Akter, was dismissed by Sonam Yadav, leaving the team in a precarious position.
India’s bowlers, particularly Sonam Yadav and Parunika Sisodia, were effective in restricting the Bangladeshi batting line-up. Sonam and Parunika both picked up two wickets each, but it was Aayushi Shukla’s exceptional performance that sealed the win for India.
Shukla, who finished the tournament as the top wicket-taker, rattled Bangladesh’s batting with figures of 3.3 overs, 17 runs, and three wickets. Her impressive spell proved to be the final blow to Bangladesh’s chase.
The collapse of Bangladesh’s batting was swift and dramatic, as they lost their last seven wickets for just 21 runs in a span of 40 balls. India’s bowlers were relentless, ensuring that Bangladesh had no way back into the game.
VJ Joshitha also contributed by dismissing Eva for a duck in the second over, further dampening Bangladesh’s hopes of a successful chase.
With this victory, India not only claimed the inaugural Under-19 Women’s Asia Cup title but also carried forward significant momentum ahead of the upcoming Under-19 Women’s World Cup.
The team’s performance in the final showed their resilience, with key contributions from the bowlers and Trisha’s solid half-century. The win was a testament to the growing strength of India’s women’s cricket, with the Under-19 team now eyeing even bigger challenges on the international stage.
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