U-19 Asia Cup: Pakistan Beat India to Claim Title

Dubai: Pakistan claimed the Men’s Under-19 Asia Cup title with a 191-run victory over India in the final, securing their first outright championship in the tournament and their first success since the 2013 edition, when the trophy was shared.

After being asked to bat, Pakistan laid the foundation with a measured yet assertive batting effort to post 347 for eight in 50 overs. Sameer Minhas played the defining innings of the match, compiling a fluent 172 off 113 balls. His knock, marked by sound shot selection and control through the middle overs, ensured Pakistan maintained momentum despite wickets falling at regular intervals. Ahmed Hussain (56) and Usman Khan (35) provided valuable support, while contributions lower down the order helped Pakistan maximise the final overs.

India’s chase started brightly, with the openers finding early boundaries to move to 32 within the first two overs. The momentum, however, was halted by the early dismissal of captain Ayush Mhatre in the third over, a setback from which the batting line-up struggled to recover. Facing a demanding required rate, Indian batters were forced into riskier options, leading to a steady loss of wickets.

By the end of the powerplay, India were reduced to 68 for five, leaving the side with a steep task. While there were brief efforts to stabilise the innings, most notably Deepesh Devendran’s 36, partnerships failed to develop.

Pakistan’s bowlers maintained discipline and consistency, with Ali Raza leading the attack with four wickets, supported by Abdul Subhan and Huziafa Ahsan, who claimed two each.

India were eventually bowled out for 156 in 26.2 overs, ending a one-sided final that was largely decided by Pakistan’s substantial first-innings total.