‘2000 Pakistan fans were shouting my name’: Aaryavir Sehwag’s conversation with dad Virender after winning U-19 Asia Cup goes viral originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
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Aaryavir Sehwag shared a funny, heartwarming call with his father after India’s U-19 Asia Cup win.
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The young opener topped the run charts and shone in the final.
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He revealed that Pakistan fans in the stands were chanting his name during the innings.
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MORE: Fans hail Mohit Ulva’s sensational knock as India beat Pakistan to clinch U-19 Asia Cup
‘Bigger than awards and trophies’: Virender Sehwag shares viral video call with son Aaryavir after last-ball win over Pakistan
Two thousand Pakistan supporters chanting his surname was not something Aaryavir Sehwag had planned for when he walked out to open India’s chase in the Under-19 Asia Cup final, yet that is exactly what the teenager says happened, and he couldn’t wait to tell his famous father about it.
His video call with Virender Sehwag, made soon after India pulled off a one-wicket win over Pakistan, has since gone viral. The young batter sounded breathless and delighted as he described the tense closing stages, and the former India opener, listening on the other end, with awe and pride.
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Before the tournament began, much of the attention had centred on two famous surnames in the India squad, with Aaryavir and Anvay Dravid, the son of Rahul Dravid, both named in the side. Dravid had a modest outing, whereas Sehwag took centre stage with fearless batting at the top of the order.
India vs Pakistan U-19 Asia Cup final: How India chased down 338 off the last ball
India won a record ninth U-19 Asia Cup title at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Muscat, finishing on 339 for 9 in 50 overs, with Mohit Ulva hitting a boundary off the final delivery. They had recovered from 252 for 8 to get there, and it was their first crown since 2021.
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The foundation was laid at the top. Captain Lakshya Raichandani and Aaryavir added 95 for the opening wicket, and Aaryavir was caught at long-off off Niqab Shafiq for 58. He had been struck on the right forearm by Ali Raza earlier in the innings, but he returned and carried on.
Virender had played a big role in setting up an India chase in his own first major final, against England at Lord’s in 2002, and his son did something similar at the top of the order on Saturday.
Speaking after the game, Aaryavir explained that he had been dismissed in the previous match against Pakistan, which made him determined to score in the final despite the blow to his arm.
“Since I got out in the last match against them (Pakistan), I wanted to score today, regardless of copping a blow on my arm. I knew if I stayed in the middle, it would keep building the pressure on Pakistan,” Aaryavir said after the match.
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MORE: Fans hail Mohit Ulva’s sensational knock as India beat Pakistan to clinch U-19 Asia Cup
Aaryavir Sehwag and Virender Sehwag video call: “2,000 Pakistan fans were shouting my name”
The video call has been shared widely because it captures the emotion of the night. Aaryavir began by describing how nervous he was while watching from the dressing room for a long stretch.
“I was sitting there for one and a half hours, just chanting ‘Sita Ram, Sita Ram, Sita Ram,’ praying, ‘Brother, let something happen, let something happen, let something happen’,” he narrated to his father.
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He then described the closing moments, when India needed eight runs in the last over and the final ball required three, with a bowler on strike. By his own account, he was desperate for any edge or deflection that would reach the boundary.
“I was like, ‘Brother, just let a four get hit, let it hit the thigh pad or anything, just let it go!’ And it went [for a boundary]! Everyone went completely crazy!”
The most surprising part came next, as he told his father about the atmosphere around the ground.
“In the Pakistan stands, there were 2,000 Pakistanis, and they were all shouting, ‘Sehwag! Sehwag!’ The Pakistanis were supporting me! They were like, ‘What batting! What fun! That was awesome, man!'”
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Sehwag shared a post on Instagrama nd wrote: “Some moments are bigger than awards, runs and trophies. These are the memories a father will cherish forever. May you always keep your feet firmly on the ground and touch the skies with your hard work and talent. Shri SitaRam.”
Aaryavir Sehwag’s U-19 Asia Cup show proves he is more than a famous surname
Young players with famous fathers carry an unfair burden, because every innings is compared with a legend’s career. Aaryavir’s tournament suggests he has begun to deal with that pressure well.
Scoring 361 runs at 90.25 over five innings, in a competition that included two matches against Pakistan, is a serious body of work and should stand on its own merit.
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What impressed most was his temperament in the final. Despite taking a blow on the forearm, he stood his ground and then built a 95-run opening partnership. This reflects a calm head, and his reasoning afterwards about keeping the pressure on Pakistan suggests he understands match situations better than most teenagers.
Whereas the story of Pakistan fans cheering an Indian batter in a final between two rivals is a reminder that good cricket can bring warmth in a fixture known for heat. That does not erase the rivalry, but it shows the sport at its best.
India’s selectors will rightly keep their expectations measured, since junior success does not always carry over to the senior game. Even so, the combination of runs, composure and a clear head makes Aaryavir a name to follow closely over the next few years.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
