Sameer Minhas Smashes 172 as Pakistan Crush India to Clinch U-19 Asia Cup Title

DUBAI – Pakistan’s U-19 team delivered a masterclass in all-round cricket to defeat arch-rivals India by a staggering 191 runs, securing the Under-19 Asia Cup trophy in a one-sided final at the ICC Academy Ground on Sunday.

The Minhas Masterclass After being put into bat, Pakistan posted a mammoth total of 347 for 8 in their 50 overs, driven by a legendary performance from opener Sameer Minhas. Minhas played the innings of a lifetime, scoring 172 off just 113 balls, an explosive knock featuring 17 boundaries and 9 towering sixes.

Minhas anchored several crucial partnerships, including a brisk 92-run stand with Usman Khan (35) and a dominant 137-run partnership with Ahmed Hussain, who contributed a steady 56. Despite a late-innings mini-collapse, Pakistan’s lower order pushed the total well beyond India's reach.

India’s Batting Collapse Chasing 348 for victory, the Indian top order crumbled under the sheer pace and precision of the Pakistani bowling attack. India slumped to 59 for 4 early in the chase, with only 13-year-old sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi (26) showing resistance at the start.

Pakistan’s pace trio of Ali Raza, Mohammad Sayyam, and Abdul Subhan dismantled the Indian lineup. Ali Raza was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with stellar figures of 4 for 36. Deepesh Devendran provided some late fireworks for India with a quickfire 36 off 16 balls, but it was far too late as India were bundled out for 156 in just 26.2 overs.

Summary of Scores:

Pakistan U-19: 347/8 (50 overs) – Sameer Minhas 172, Ahmed Hussain 56; Deepesh Devendran 3/83.

India U-19: 156 all out (26.2 overs) – Deepesh Devendran 36, Vaibhav Suryavanshi 26; Ali Raza 4/36.

Result: Pakistan won by 191 runs.