Pakistan Under-19 secured a vital victory against arch-rivals India in the ACC Men's U19 Asia Cup 2026, prevailing by three wickets in a high-stakes encounter at Al Amerat, Oman. Captain
The match was defined by two contrasting individual performances, with Zahoor’s steady hand ultimately eclipsing a brilliant 107 from India’s
Zahoor and Dar anchor Pakistan's recovery
Facing a challenging target, Pakistan’s top order struggled against the Indian bowling attack, finding themselves five wickets down with only 63 runs on the board. The pressure was immense, but Zahoor found a reliable partner in Hasnain Abbas Dar. The duo constructed a pivotal 107-run partnership that stabilized the innings and brought Pakistan back into contention.
Although Dar eventually departed for 38 off 67 deliveries with the score at 168/6, Zahoor remained at the crease to anchor the remainder of the chase. His ability to navigate the pressure ensured Pakistan reached the target with three wickets to spare, significantly boosting their prospects of advancing to the semi-finals of the tournament.
Rajput’s lone stand for India
Earlier in the day, India’s innings faced an early crisis when captain Lakshya Raichandani was dismissed for a duck in the opening over. Pakistan’s pace attack, led by Ali Raza, capitalized on the early breakthrough, reducing India to 42/4 and later 86/5. Raza finished the innings with three wickets, supported by Rizwanullah and Niqab Shafiq, who also claimed three scalps each.
Arjun Rajput provided the only significant resistance for India, launching a counter-attack that saw him score 107 off 85 balls, featuring 11 fours and five sixes. Despite his efforts and a late 23 from Kavya Patel, India’s momentum stalled following Rajput’s dismissal at 170/7. The team lost their final three wickets for 38 runs, concluding their innings at 208 all out in 46.3 overs. While Manal Chauhan, Kavya Patel, and Mohit Ulva managed to trouble the Pakistan batting order, they were unable to prevent Zahoor from guiding his team to a memorable result.
