Pakistan will face India in the final of the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup on Sunday, December 21, at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai.
The first ball of the final is scheduled for 10 am PST, with live broadcast on PTV Sports and digital streaming available on Tamasha.
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Since the tournament began in 1989, Pakistan, winners of the 2004 and 2006 ICC Men’s U19 World Cups, have yet to claim the U19 Asia Cup, now in its 12th edition.
India have won the tournament seven times, while Bangladesh claimed the title in the last two editions in 2023 and 2024.
Afghanistan won the trophy in 2017, while the 2012 final between Pakistan and India ended in a tie, resulting in the trophy being shared.
In the ongoing tournament, Pakistan won two of their three Group ‘A’ matches and secured a spot in the final after an impressive eight-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the second semi-final on December 19.
READ: PCB announces Pakistan squad for U19 World Cup, Zimbabwe tri-series
The team will rely on batting star Sameer Minhas, who has scored 299 runs in four matches, including a century and a half-century.
In the bowling department, right-arm pacer Abdul Subhan has taken 11 wickets from three matches, while left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Sayyam has claimed eight wickets so far.
Speaking to PCB Digital ahead of the final, Pakistan captain Farhan Yousaf said: “Our preparation has been very good and the morale in the camp is very high. The management has backed us strongly and we will try to come out victorious.”
“Bangladesh proved to be a very good opponent and it was enjoyable to compete against them. The players performed really well. Our fielding unit has been outstanding, the batting performed well in the last match and the bowling has been consistent throughout the tournament. This collective effort has contributed to our strong results,” he added.
“The final is a big game and the players are very confident. We aim to carry forward the momentum and positivity from the last match, play aggressive cricket, give our 100 per cent and are hopeful of a result going in our team’s favour,” he concluded.
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India had defeated Pakistan by 90 runs in their group stage encounter, adding an extra layer of excitement to the final.
Pakistan 15-member squad for the final:
Farhan Yousaf (captain), Usman Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Subhan, Ahmed Hussain, Ali Hassan Baloch, Ali Raza, Daniyal Ali Khan, Hamza Zahoor (wk), Huzaifa Ahsan, Momin Qamar, Mohammad Huzaifa, Mohammad Sayyam, Mohammad Shayan (wk), Niqab Shafiq and Sameer Minhas
