Virendra Sehwag's son, Aryavir Sehwag, leads in points scored in U-19 Asia Cup semi-final

In the eleventh match (Group A) of the U19 Asia Cup 2026, featuring the Indian junior team, opening batsman Aryavir Sehvag delivered an impressive performance. During the match against the UAE, Aryavir, son of legendary Indian batsman Virendra Sehvag, scored a magnificent century, showcasing his class.

In this century innings, he scored 13 fours and two sixes. The UAE captain decided to win the toss and allowed India to bat first. According to the game rules, the ball had no high bounce and remained quite low. Initially, the fast bowlers from the UAE restricted the Indian batsmen.

After Captain Celak Raichandani (17 runs) was brought onto the field in the 14th over, caught by Nurullah Ayubi, Aryavir's composure and aggression became outstanding. He skillfully used his footwork against spinners, sending the ball over the covers and mid-wicket for boundaries off full deliveries.

Once Aryavir settled into the game after the initial overs, he began batting in the style of his father, Virendra Sehvag. He clearly showed his intentions by hitting two fours in one over from Nurullah Ayubi. Aryavir scored 100 unbeaten runs off 131 balls at an average strike rate of 76.34.

The second player, VK Vinith, supported him from the other end of the pitch, playing cautiously and scoring 29 unbeaten runs, including one four and one six off 40 balls, which helped the team solidify its position. By the completion of 33.5 overs, the Indian team had scored 159 runs while losing one batsman, confidently approaching a large total.

The Indian team won the five-match T20 series against New Zealand with a score of 3-2. Although the Indian team lost the fifth and final match, which took place at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Sunday (November 1st), the celebration of the victory took an unusual turn.

During the trophy presentation ceremony after the match, India's captain Shreyas Iyer accepted the trophy but then passed it to the young all-rounder Naman Dheer. Following this, the entire team took joint photographs with the trophy, and Iyer's gesture caused a wide resonance.

The 26-year-old Naman Dheer effectively utilized the opportunities given to him in this series. This all-rounder from Mumbai Indians (MI) made a significant contribution to India's game by batting in the lower order. He became the second-highest run-scorer for the Indian team in this T20 series.

Although Naman Dheer did not get many opportunities to play as a bowler, his batting successes attracted the attention of the team management. He managed to demonstrate his usefulness even with experienced players like Shivam Dube present.

This approach by Shreyas Iyer recalls the traditions established by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill. These captains previously allowed young players the opportunity to celebrate the victory with the trophy. It should be noted that Dhoni was the one who started the tradition of passing the trophy to young players, and subsequent Indian captains continued this practice.

India already gained an undeniable advantage in the series. Despite New Zealand managing to achieve their goal in the fifth match by stopping India at 191/8, they could not win the series, and this moment became unforgettable for Naman Dheer during India's victory celebration.

Following a crushing defeat in the fourth T20 match of the series against New Zealand, India's captain Shreyas Iyer expressed disappointment regarding the bowlers' performance. He admitted that the team's bowling game did not meet expectations and noted the need to re-evaluate tactics before the final match.

The match, held on October 30th at Eden Park in Auckland, ended with a victory for New Zealand by 87 runs. New Zealand scored 259 runs, thanks to powerful performances from Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell, securing seven wickets. Phillips scored 107 runs off 49 balls, while Bracewell made 65 runs in just 25 balls. The Indian team failed to reach its target and lost the match by 87 runs.

After the game, Shreyas Iyer stated that the Indian bowlers performed poorly. He specifically highlighted the third over of the powerplay, when New Zealand started scoring very quickly. Iyer emphasized: 'Our bowling was weak. Especially in the third over of the powerplay, they gained momentum. Glenn played some exceptional shots. We need to analyze this game and understand what changes are necessary to get back on track. Now we must work on our strategy again and implement it on the field.'

Furthermore, Shreyas mentioned that the small boundary and various pitch characteristics at Eden Park also created difficulties. According to Iyer, it was an unfamiliar ground for some players, making it hard for them to adapt to the local conditions.

In New Zealand's innings, Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell completely dominated the Indian bowlers. Together they hit 16 sixes. Phillips hit four consecutive sixes in one over from Nitish Kumar Reddy, which occurred in the sixteenth over of that innings. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner emphasized the importance of success in the powerplay after the win, noting that the bowlers put pressure on India by taking wickets in the early overs. In his opinion, the pitch also slightly helped the team according to the plan.

Mitchell Santner highly praised Michael Bracewell's performance, noting that he started scoring quickly as soon as he came onto the field and played a key role in bringing the team close to the 260 mark. He also added that Bracewell had played well in training, and he was pleased with his performance in the match.

Regarding Glenn Phillips, who scored a hundred, he described the Eden Park pitch as ideal for an attacking style of play. He stated that it was easy to hit the ball off the turf, and the team fully capitalized on the circumstances.