Arjun Rajput made a name for himself with a fighting half-century in the IND vs PAK U19 Asia Cup clash in Al Amerat on Sunday. India Colts were in a spot of bother after a top order collpase but Rajput struck a counter-attacking half-century. The left-hander reached his milestone in just 43 balls, even before India reached a total of 100.
Rajput walked into bat at No.5 with the Indian team struggling to deal with the Pakistan pace attack. The left-hander joined Aaryavir Sehwag with the team score at 22/3. Rajput tried rebuild the innings but Sehwag and then Anvay Dravid both got starts.
While the rest of the batting order struggled, Rajput looked at home. He found boundaries at regular ease, and rotating the strike to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Who is Arjun Rajput?
Arjun Rajput is an emerging Indian cricketer who represents the country's Under-19 team. Hailing from Jalandhar, Punjab, the left-handed batter has worked his way up through the domestic age-group circuit and earned a place in India's U19 setup.
Coming from a modest financial background, Rajput's cricketing journey has been supported by his father, who reportedly sold chole-kulche on the streets to help fund his son's ambitions. He has also impressed with his all-round abilities, including a three-wicket haul against Nepal in the 2026 U19 Asia Cup.
He captained Punjab U19 during the 2026-27 Vinoo Mankad Trophy, the BCCI's Under-19 one-day tournament, and finished as one of the standout performers. He scored 695 runs in eight matches at an average of 139.00 and a strike rate of 121.08.
He also struck a match-winning 52 in the semi-final against Vidarbha, earning the Player of the Match award, before scoring an unbeaten 55 off 33 balls in the final against Mumbai as Punjab clinched the title.
