Pakistan defeated India by three wickets in a thrilling Group A match of the ACC Men’s Under-19 Asia Cup at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Muscat on Sunday, after wicketkeeper-batter Hamza Zahoor struck an unbeaten century under pressure.
Chasing 209, Pakistan crossed the line in 48.1 overs with 11 balls to spare. Zahoor stayed till the end on 100 not out from 108 balls, hitting 10 fours and three sixes, and was named Player of the Match. He reached his hundred with the winning boundary, a cover drive that sealed a famous win for the defending champions.
Zahoor turns 61-5 into famous win
Pakistan’s chase looked lost at one stage. The top order fell apart against India’s bowlers, and Pakistan slipped to 61 for five. Usman Khan, who had hit 139 not out against the UAE in the last game, made only 16. Abdul Qadir scored 20, captain Farhan Yousaf fell for two, and Ahmed Hussain made eight.
Then Zahoor joined Hasnain Abbas Dar, and the two changed the game. They added 107 runs for the sixth wicket, the partnership that turned the match. Dar made 38 from 67 balls before falling, but Zahoor kept his calm. Even after two more wickets fell, he picked the right balls to hit and guided the lower order home.
Rajput century lifts India to 208
India had won the toss and chosen to bat, but their innings started badly. Captain Lakshya Rajesh Raichandani was out for a duck off the second ball, and India were soon 22 for three. Aaryavir Sehwag made 22 and Anvay Dravid 10 as Pakistan’s bowlers kept striking.
Arjun Rajput then played a superb lone innings. He reached his maiden Youth ODI century in just 80 balls and finished with 107 from 85 deliveries, with 11 fours and five sixes. He added 64 runs with Manal Chauhan for the fifth wicket, but no other batter passed 23. Ali Raza, Rizwanullah and Niqab Shafiq took three wickets each, and Mohammad Sayyam took one, as India were bowled out for 208 in 46.3 overs.
Match scorecard
| Team | Score |
| India U19 | 208 all out (46.3 overs) |
| Pakistan U19 | 209 for 7 (48.1 overs) |
| Result | Pakistan won by 3 wickets |
| Player of the Match | Hamza Zahoor (100 not out) |
| Top scorer India | Arjun Rajput — 107 (85 balls) |
| Best bowling Pakistan | Rizwanullah 3-24, Ali Raza 3-37, Niqab Shafiq 3-42 |
| Best bowling India | Manal Chauhan 3-32, Mohit Ulva 2-45 |
| Key partnership | Zahoor and Hasnain Abbas Dar — 107 runs, 6th wicket |
Why win matters for Pakistan
This was more than a group game. Pakistan are the defending champions. They beat India by 191 runs in last December’s final in Dubai, and this win keeps that hold over their biggest rivals. It also takes Pakistan to the top of Group A with four points from two matches and books their place in the semi-finals, with a game against Nepal still to play.
For India, the defeat leaves them on two points from two games. They still have a group match left, and the top two teams go through to the semi-finals on 12 November, with the final on 14 November. But they will now need to win that last game to stay in the tournament.
The win also continues a strong run for Pakistan at this level. It was their fifth win over India in Under-19 cricket since 2021, against two defeats. And for Zahoor, a wicketkeeper batting at number seven, it was a career night, a hundred in a chase, against India, with his team in trouble. That is the kind of innings young players are remembered for.
Pakistan scored 209 for 7 and beat India, who made 208 all out, by three wickets at Al Amerat on 8 November 2026.
Hamza Zahoor, for his unbeaten 100 from 108 balls, including 10 fours and three sixes.
Pakistan top Group A with four points and have reached the semi-finals. They still play Nepal in their last group game, with the semi-finals on 12 November and the final on 14 November.
