Aaryavir Sehwag recreates Virat Kohli's iconic celebration in U19 Asia Cup final

In the U19 Asia Cup final at Muscat on November 14, 2026, 15-year-old India opener Aaryavir Sehwag scored 58 runs off 61 balls against Pakistan, giving India a platform while chasing a target of 338 runs. The knock included nine fours and was a composed effort from the young opener at the top of the order.

When Sehwag reached his fifty, he put his bat down and let it do the talking, recreating the celebration that Virat Kohli made famous during his 25th Test century against Australia in Perth on December 16, 2018. The gesture drew immediate attention and became one of the talking points of the final.

How did Aaryavir Sehwag get injured during the final?

Sehwag's innings was not without difficulty. Early in his knock, Pakistan pacer Ali Raza delivered an inswinging ball that struck Sehwag on the forearm, raising concerns about his ability to continue. He did, however, carry on and went on to post a significant contribution for India in the high-stakes final.

Sehwag was eventually dismissed off the bowling of spinner Niqab Shafiq, mistiming a lofted shot that Usman Khan pouched at long-off. By that point, the 15-year-old had already done considerable work at the top of the order.

How did Sehwag and Raichandani give India a steady start?

Sehwag and India captain Lakshya Raichandani put together an opening partnership of 95 runs, giving the chase a solid foundation against a Pakistan attack that had set a challenging total. The stand was built with measured intent and helped India avoid an early collapse in a high-pressure final.

Heading into the final, Sehwag had been in exceptional form throughout the tournament, accumulating 303 runs across four matches at an average of 101, a tally that included one century and two half-centuries.

His knock of 58 in the final was his fourth score of 50 or more in the competition. Among his earlier contributions in the tournament were scores of 160, 70 not out, and 51, underlining his consistency as India's leading batter across the U19 Asia Cup.