In a high-stakes encounter at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, the India U19 team maintained their unbeaten streak by defeating arch-rivals Pakistan by 58 runs in their final Super Six fixture of the 2026 ICC Under-19 World Cup.
The victory not only secured India’s spot at the top of Group 2 but also officially knocked Pakistan out of the tournament, setting up a semi-final clash between India and Afghanistan.
🏏 Match Summary: Spinners Seal the Deal
While Pakistan’s bowlers started strong, India’s middle-order resilience and a clinical spin-bowling performance turned the tide in favor of the “Boys in Blue.”
| Category | India U19 | Pakistan U19 |
| Total Score | 252 All Out (49.5 overs) | 194 All Out (46.2 overs) |
| Top Scorer | Vedant Trivedi (68) | Usman Khan (66) |
| Best Bowler | Ayush Mhatre (3/21) | Abdul Subhan (3/33) |
| Result | India won by 58 runs | – |
First Innings: India’s Gritty Recovery
After being put into bat, India faced an early storm. Despite a brisk start from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (30 off 22), India slumped from 47/0 to 47/3 within just four deliveries.
- The Anchor: Vedant Trivedi played a tournament-defining knock of 68 off 98 balls. He stabilized the innings with a 62-run partnership with Vihaan Malhotra.+1
- The Finish: A late-innings flourish from Kanishk Chouhan (35 off 29) and Khilan Patel (21 off 15) pushed India past the 250-mark, adding 50 runs in the final five overs.
- Pakistan’s Standout: Abdul Subhan was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 3/33.
Second Innings: Pakistan’s Qualification Equation
The qualification math was clear: Pakistan needed to chase down 253 in just 33.3 overs to overtake India on Net Run Rate (NRR) and qualify for the semi-finals.
The Slow Build
Despite needing to go at over 7.5 runs per over, Pakistan’s top order adopted a conservative approach.
- Usman Khan fought a lonely battle, scoring a patient 66 off 92 balls.
- Hamza Zahoor (42) and captain Farhan Yousaf (38) provided resistance, but the required rate quickly climbed out of reach.
The Collapse
Once the 33.3-over mark passed and Pakistan failed to reach the target, their semi-final hopes evaporated. Following the exit, the batting lineup crumbled under the pressure of India’s spinners.
- Ayush Mhatre (C): Leading from the front, the skipper took 3/21 with his spin, including the vital wicket of Usman Khan.
- Khilan Patel: Matched the captain with 3/35, cleaning up the tail to bowl Pakistan out for 194.
Player of the Match: Kanishk Chouhan
Kanishk was awarded the Player of the Match for his all-round brilliance, contributing a vital 35 runs with the bat and maintaining a stranglehold with the ball (1/30 in 10 overs).
