NEW DELHI: Pakistan opener Sameer Minhas once again showcased his prodigious talent, smashing a brilliant century – his second of the tournament – as Pakistan posted a challenging 347 for 8 against India in a thrilling 50-over U-19 Asia Cup final in Dubai on Sunday.
The young star blazed his way to 172 off just 113 balls, carrying the hopes of his side, who had suffered a 90-run defeat to India in the group stage at the same venue.
Pakistan, riding high on a clinical eight-wicket semifinal victory over last edition’s champions Bangladesh, ensured that India, who elected to bowl, never found their footing.
Minhas, the younger brother of Pakistan T20 player Arafat Minhas – who had starred with an unbeaten half-century in the semi-final – attacked relentlessly, punishing every bowler, with particular dominance over the new-ball duo Kishan Singh and Deepesh Devendran.
Innings Break!
3⃣ wickets for Deepesh Devendran 👍
2⃣ wickets each for Khilan Patel and Henil Patel 👍A 🎯 of 348 for India U19 to clinch the #MensU19AsiaCup2025
Scorecard ▶️ pic.twitter.com/iAMhAfgurX
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 21, 2025
Minhas, whose innings featured 17 boundaries and nine sixes, reached his century off just 71 balls with a classy four in the 29th over off Devendran. This marked his second hundred of the tournament, following an unbeaten 177 against Malaysia in Pakistan’s opening group match.
The 19-year-old looked set for a double century and joined the likes of India’s Abhigyan Kundu and South Africa’s Jorich Van Schalkwyk in the elite 200-plus club.
But he was tricked by a slower delivery from Devendran (3/83) to be caught at mid-on, as the India pacer savored his first wicket in the match after being plundered by the prolific opener.
Minhas’ big six in the 28th over, where he used his feet to launch an Ayush Mhatre delivery high up in the air to deep mid-wicket, had class written all over.
It was smooth sailing for Pakistan after Hamza Zahoor (18) departed early when he ended up giving the simplest of catches at mid-off, falling prey to a teasing off-stump line.
Zahoor’s dismissal brought in Usman Khan (35) and, together with Minhas, took the total to 123 — a partnership that yielded 92 runs.
Left-handed Ahmed Hussain, who too has enjoyed a rich vein of form in the tournament scoring a century and half-ton, struck a fine 56 before left-arm spinner Khilan Patel (2/44) enticed the middle-order batter to play the sweep and gave a catch at mid-wicket.
His 137-run partnership with Minhas provided the deck for Pakistan to go for a big total.
India have won the title a record eight times since the tournament’s inception in 1989. They were joint winners with Pakistan in the 2012 edition when the match ended in a tie.
Pakistan have lifted the trophy only once, when they were joint winners with the arch-rivals in Malaysia.
(With PTI Inputs)
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