KEY WORDS
- Both teams secured massive opening wins, setting a platform for their clash.
- India’s Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Pakistan’s Sameer Minhas headline a battle of in-form centurion openers.
DUBAI: A high-voltage encounter is on the cards as arch-rivals India and Pakistan prepare to face off in a Group A match of the Under-19 Asia Cup 2025 here on Sunday.
The anticipation for the contest has skyrocketed, fuelled not by rivalry alone, but by the historic, record-shattering performances both teams delivered in their tournament openers on Friday.
The stage was set just kilometres apart, as both teams posted monumental victories. India annihilated the United Arab Emirates by a staggering 234 runs, while Pakistan decimated Malaysia by an even larger margin of 297 runs.
However, it was the individual brilliance of their young openers that has captured the world’s attention and set a thrilling precedent for their impending showdown.
India’s Record-Breaking Onslaught
The Indian colts, led by a breathtaking innings from Vaibhav Suryavanshi, rewrote the record books.
Suryavanshi bludgeoned a sensational 171 runs off just 95 balls, an innings punctuated by 9 fours and a colossal 14 sixes, striking at a rate of 180.
Historic Total: His knock propelled India to a mammoth 433 for 6, the highest team total in the history of the U-19 Asia Cup.
National Record: The score also stands as India’s highest-ever total in U-19 One-Day Internationals and the third-highest in all men’s U-19 ODI cricket.
Blistering Pace: Suryavanshi reached his fifty in 30 balls, his century in 56, and his 150 in a mere 84 deliveries, demonstrating relentless aggression.
He was ably supported by half-centuries from Aaron George and Vihaan Malhotra (both scoring 69), ensuring India posted an insurmountable target before bowling out the UAE for 199.
Pakistan’s Commanding Reply
Not to be outdone, the Pakistan U-19 team delivered an equally dominant performance.
Debutant opener Sameer Minhas announced his arrival on the big stage with an unbeaten 177 from 148 balls (11 fours, 8 sixes), claiming the Player of the Match award.
Record Partnership: He forged a mammoth 293-run opening stand with Ahmed Hussain, who scored a fluent 132 off 114 balls, powering Pakistan to 345 for 3.
Bowling Rout: The bowlers, led by Ali Raza (3-11) and Mohammad Sayyam (3 wickets), then dismantled Malaysia for just 48 runs in 19.4 overs, completing a comprehensive 297-run victory.
Six Key Points for the Sunday Clash
Record Build-Up: Both teams enter the clash on the back of historic wins, with India posting the tournament’s highest-ever total (433/6) and Pakistan securing a massive 297-run victory.
Openers in Supreme Form: The match features a tantalizing sub-plot between two centurions: India’s destructive Vaibhav Suryavanshi (171 off 95) and Pakistan’s debutant hero Sameer Minhas (177* off 148).
Batting Firepower: The two sides have just amassed a combined 778 runs for the loss of only 9 wickets, showcasing extraordinary batting depth and form.
Bowling Strengths: While the batsmen shone, both attacks were clinical, India bowled out the UAE, and Pakistan’s pacers skittled Malaysia for 48.
Psychological Edge: The sheer scale of their opening wins gives both camps immense confidence, setting the stage for a high-pressure contest of skill and nerve.
Group A Supremacy: With such commanding starts, the winner of this encounter will take a giant stride toward topping the group and asserting early dominance in the tournament.
The clash at the Dubai International Stadium promises to be a spectacle of youthful exuberance and fierce competition, with two brilliantly in-form teams colliding to settle early bragging rights in the Asian youth championship.
Squads
Pakistan: Farhan Yousaf (c), Usman Khan (vc), Abdul Subhan, Ahmed Hussain, Ali Hassan Baloch, Ali Raza, Daniyal Ali Khan, Hamza Zahoor †, Huzaifa Ahsan, Mohammad Huzaifa, Mohammad Sayyam, Mohammad Shayan †, Momin Qamar, Niqab Shafiq, and Sameer Minhas.
India: Ayush Mhatre (c), Vihaan Malhotra (vc), Aaron George, Kanishk Chouhan, Deepesh Devendran, Yuvraj Gohil, Henil Patel, Khilan Patel, Abhigyan Kundu †, Udhav Mohan, Harvansh Pangalia, Naman Pushpak, Kishan Singh, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, and Vedant Trivedi.
