NEW DELHI: Pakistan’s Under-19 team produced a dominant performance to beat India in the U19 Asia Cup final in Dubai on Sunday. Pakistan won the match by a massive 191 runs, and that made the fans delighted and emotional.
Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed was at the centre of attention after the victory, even though he was not playing. He was serving as the mentor of the U19 team and watched the match from the dugout.After the final, a video from the stadium went viral on social media. In the clip, a passionate Pakistan fan stopped PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi while he was leaving the venue. The fan praised Sarfaraz and said, “Sarfaraz kabhi dhoka nahi deta” (“Sarfaraz never lets you down”). He then made an emotional request, saying, “He won you the Champions Trophy in 2017. Today, we won another title. Please make him the mentor for the T20 World Cup (2026). Please.” Mohsin Naqvi listened with a smile and replied with a thumbs-up, which excited many fans.Watch:This win was special because it was the third time Pakistan defeated India in a final with Sarfaraz involved. Back in 2004, he captained Pakistan to victory against India in the ICC U19 World Cup final. Later, in 2017, he led the senior team to a famous Champions Trophy win over India in England. On Sunday, Pakistan once again beat their biggest rivals in a final, with Sarfaraz guiding the team from the sidelines.Pakistan’s win also ended a long wait, as they lifted the U19 Asia Cup for the first time in 13 years and only the second time in their history.In the match, Pakistan posted a huge total of 347 runs for eight wickets. Sameer Minhas played a stunning innings, scoring 172 runs off 113 balls and completely dominating the Indian bowlers.India started the chase with some attacking intent, but things went downhill quickly. Captain Ayush Mhatre was dismissed early, and the rest of the batting line-up struggled against Pakistan’s fast bowlers. Ali Raza, Mohammad Sayyam, and Abdul Subhan bowled with pace and accuracy as they took regular wickets. India were eventually bowled out for 156 runs in just 26.2 overs as Pakistan sealed a memorable and one-sided win.
