Al Amerat, Oman | November 8, 2026 — Pakistan Under-19 recovered from a five-wicket collapse to defeat India by three wickets in their Group A match at the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup, with wicketkeeper-batter Hamza Zahoor steering the chase with an unbeaten 100 from 108 balls.
Pakistan reached 209 for seven in 48.1 overs, completing the chase of India’s 208 with 11 balls remaining. Zahoor’s innings, which included 10 fours and three sixes, turned a contest that had swung sharply towards India after Pakistan slipped to 61 for five inside the first 15 overs. His century earned him the Player of the Match award and gave the defending champions a second consecutive victory in the tournament.
India had looked set to post a more imposing total after opener Arjun Rajput made 107 from 85 deliveries. His 11 fours and five sixes accounted for much of India’s scoring momentum, but a difficult start and a steady stream of wickets prevented the side from building a total that could keep Pakistan under sustained pressure.
India’s innings began to unravel before Rajput could settle into a long partnership. Pakistan’s bowlers reduced the side to 42 for four in 16.4 overs, leaving the middle order with the task of rebuilding against an attack that had already found a way through the top order.
Rajput responded by taking on the bowlers when the opportunity arose, finding boundaries and clearing the ropes five times. His 107 was the innings’ defining contribution and kept India moving after the early losses. Kavya Paresh Patel added 23 and Aaryavir Sehwag made 22, but neither could convert a start into the kind of extended support that might have pushed India beyond 230 or 240.
Pakistan shared the bowling work rather than relying on one spell. Rizwanullah took three wickets for 24, Ali Raza returned three for 37 and Niqab Shafiq claimed three for 42. Mohammad Sayyam took the other wicket, finishing with one for 27 from 8.3 overs. India were all out for 208 in 46.3 overs.
The score was competitive enough to give India a chance, particularly after Pakistan’s top order came under pressure. But the early collapse in India’s innings meant that the lower order had limited time and resources to add a larger cushion around Rajput’s century. Pakistan’s attack had taken wickets at intervals and ensured that the chase would begin with a manageable target rather than a total that demanded sustained high-risk batting.
Pakistan’s reply initially followed the pattern India would have wanted. India’s bowlers removed five batters while the total was still 61, bringing the match into balance and placing the defending champions under pressure. Zahoor, batting at number seven, did not attempt to force the required rate immediately. He stayed at the crease, rotated the strike and waited for opportunities to score without exposing the tail unnecessarily.
His partnership with Hasnain Abbas Dar became the decisive passage of the innings. The pair added 107 runs for the sixth wicket, taking Pakistan from a precarious position to within reach of the target. Dar contributed 38 from 67 balls, including two fours. The stand changed the terms of the chase: India needed another breakthrough, while Pakistan no longer depended on a single late burst from the lower order.
Dar’s dismissal did not end the contest. Mohammad Sayyam made four before falling, but Zahoor remained unbeaten and continued to manage the chase. Niqab Shafiq stayed with him at the end, scoring two not out as Pakistan crossed the target at 209 for seven in 48.1 overs. Manal Chauhan was India’s most successful bowler with three for 32 from 10 overs, while Mohit Ulva took two for 45.
The contrast between the two innings was clear. Rajput produced the match’s other century, but India could not build a substantial partnership around him after losing early wickets. Pakistan also lost five wickets in the first part of its chase, yet Zahoor and Dar stayed together long enough to create a platform for the final overs. The result was decided less by the number of individual milestones than by which side managed to turn a recovery into a winning position.
The win is Pakistan’s second in a row after its nine-wicket victory over the United Arab Emirates on November 6. In that match, Usman Khan made an unbeaten 139. Zahoor’s century against India gives Pakistan another substantial individual performance, but the route to victory was different: this time the side had to recover from a serious batting setback rather than chase a target with wickets in hand.
The result also gives the defending champions an early advantage in a group-stage contest against one of their principal rivals. Pakistan beat India by 191 runs in last year’s U19 Asia Cup final in Dubai. Sunday’s match was much closer, and its finish underlined how quickly momentum can change in youth cricket, where a promising start or a single major partnership can reshape a game.
For India, Rajput’s century is a positive individual return but not a substitute for a more complete team innings. The early loss of four wickets left the side dependent on one batter for much of its recovery. India’s bowling then created a strong position by reducing Pakistan to 61 for five, but the attack could not separate Zahoor and Dar during their 107-run stand. Those two phases — the top-order collapse with the bat and the missed opportunity to break the sixth-wicket partnership — will be central to India’s review of the match.
For Pakistan, the innings offers evidence of composure under pressure, particularly from Zahoor, who had to balance scoring with the need to protect the remaining batting resources. The partnership with Dar supplied the time the chase required, and Zahoor’s decision to remain at the crease allowed Pakistan to finish without needing a final-overs scramble.
The wider significance of the match lies in the value of these contests as preparation for the next level of international cricket. Players are tested not only on technique but on how they respond when the match moves away from the original plan. Rajput’s hundred showed India’s ability to rebuild after early losses; Zahoor’s unbeaten century showed Pakistan’s ability to recover from a similar collapse during a chase. Both performances will attract attention, although the result belongs to Pakistan.
As the group stage continues, Pakistan will seek to carry the confidence of two wins into its remaining fixtures. India must respond by addressing the balance between top-order stability and lower-order support, while retaining the attacking intent Rajput displayed. The scoreline leaves little doubt about the winner, but the match gave both sides material to assess before the tournament moves further into its decisive stages.
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