In a thrilling U19 Asia Cup final at Dubai, Pakistan posted a mammoth total of 347/8 against India, powered by a sensational 172 from Sameer Minhas. Minhas’ innings, which included a century off just 71 balls, is now the highest individual score in a U19 Asia Cup final.
Ahmed Hussain also contributed a solid fifty, sharing a 137-run partnership with Minhas. Despite a valiant effort from India’s bowlers, including Deepesh D taking three wickets for 83 runs and Khilan Patel claiming two for 44, Pakistan maintained a strong scoring momentum.
India, unbeaten so far in the tournament and having already defeated Pakistan in the group stage, now face a challenging chase of 348 to claim a record-extending ninth U19 Asia Cup title. The spotlight will be on India’s star batsmen — Vaibhav Suryvanshi, Abhigyan Kundu, Ayush Mhatre, and others — to provide a solid start in the chase.
Early in the innings, the Indian team made a rapid comeback, claiming four wickets in 15 balls to stem Pakistan’s momentum. The final promises to be a high-octane contest as India hunt for their ninth crown while Pakistan aim to end a 13-year title drought since 2012.
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