Pakistan’s unbeaten march through the ACC Men’s Under-19 Asia Cup continued on Tuesday as the defending champions swept Nepal aside by 101 runs in their final group match at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman, sealing a place in the semi-finals in style.
Chasing a target of 276, Nepal were bowled out for 174 in 43.4 overs, never really recovering from the loss of early wickets against a disciplined Pakistan attack. The result completed a clean sweep of the group stage for Pakistan, who now head into the knockouts with three wins from three games.
Ahmed Hussain was the hero of the day, producing a performance that decided the match in both innings. The all-rounder first struck a sparkling 89 from 73 balls, then returned with the ball to take four wickets for 35 runs in his ten overs, underlining why he is fast becoming one of the most talked-about young players in the tournament.
Pakistan’s innings had begun steadily. Openers Usman Khan and Jahangir Bilal put on 45 runs for the first wicket, a patient start on a surface that demanded care early on. Usman fell for 19 from 34 balls to Bipin Sharma, and Sachin Bhatt then removed Jahangir for 22 from 49 deliveries, leaving Pakistan on 57 for two after 15.4 overs. When Abdul Qadir departed for only six, also to Bipin, the innings was at a delicate stage and needed someone to take control.
Captain Farhan Yousaf and Ahmed Hussain did exactly that. The pair added 135 runs for the fourth wicket, a partnership that changed the shape of the match entirely. Farhan led from the front with 74 from 95 balls, an innings that included six fours and three sixes, before he was dismissed by Sushil Rawal. Hussain carried on, adding a further 50 runs with Hasnain Abbas Dar to push Pakistan beyond 250. Hasnain played his part with a brisk 25 from 23 balls, including a four and a six, before Bipin dismissed him with the score on 264 for six in the 48.5th over. Hamza Zahoor added a quick 11 from seven balls before falling to Abhay Yadav, and Pakistan closed on 275 for seven from their 50 overs.
Hussain’s 89 came from 73 deliveries and featured seven fours and two sixes, a blend of timing and power that gave Pakistan a total that always looked beyond Nepal’s reach.
Bipin Sharma was Nepal’s most successful bowler, finishing with three wickets for 58 runs from his ten overs, while Sushil Rawal picked up two. Abhay Yadav and Sachin Bhatt claimed one wicket each, but none of them could stem the flow of runs once the fourth-wicket partnership took hold.
Nepal’s reply faltered as Pakistan’s bowlers struck at regular intervals and the required run rate climbed steadily out of reach. Rohit Chand top-scored with 37 from 54 balls, including three boundaries, while opener Niraj Kumar Yadav made 29 from 59 deliveries with five fours. Suryanshu Koirala contributed 22 from 50 balls, and Darsh Sonar scored 20 from 20 deliveries. Abhay Yadav added a quick 23 from 16 balls, including three fours and a six, and Sohail Kunwar chipped in with 14 from 19 deliveries.
Hussain completed his memorable day by leading the bowling as well, taking four wickets for 35 runs in his ten overs. Mohammad Sayyam and Mohammad Huzaifa claimed two wickets each, while Rizwanullah and Jahangir Bilal picked up one apiece as Pakistan wrapped up a comprehensive victory.
Pakistan had arrived in Oman as defending champions and had already booked their place in the last four before the Nepal match, following wins over the United Arab Emirates and India in their first two group games, while Nepal were already out of contention.
The tournament has brought together eight teams in Muscat. Pakistan, India, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates were drawn in Group A, while Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Malaysia made up Group B, with the top two from each group reaching the semi-finals on Thursday, November 12, and the final on Saturday, November 14.
For topping Group A, Pakistan’s reward is a semi-final against Sri Lanka, the runners-up of Group B behind Afghanistan. They will enter it full of confidence after three convincing wins.
The performance also underlined the depth of talent coming through Pakistan’s youth system. A player like Ahmed Hussain, who can change a game with bat and ball on the same day, is exactly the kind of cricketer the selectors will be watching, and captain Farhan Yousaf has led the side with assurance throughout the group stage.
Nepal will take lessons from the campaign. They competed in patches and their bowlers showed they could trouble good batting line-ups, but the gap in depth and experience told over the group stage.
Pakistan’s focus now turns to Thursday. The semi-final is a different kind of pressure, a knockout match where one bad session ends the title defence, but on the evidence of the group stage this team has the batting, the bowling and the belief to go all the way.
