U19 Asia Cup final: Usman's 107 leads Pakistan to 337/9 as India pull things in death overs
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Muscat, Nov 14 : Usman Khan's 107, Abdul Qadir's 80 and captain Farhan Yousaf's 63 led Pakistan U19 to a strong total of 337/9 against India U19 in the U19 Asia Cup 2026 final at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground (Ministry Turf 2) here on Saturday.
Pakistan, the U19 Asia Cup defending champions, had a strong outing against the majority of the Indian bowlers to put up a strong score in the final, similar to what they did in the 2025 title clash when they had made 347/8.
Meanwhile, the Indian bowlers produced a strong comeback in the death overs to keep the lid and limit what could have been an easy 350 score at the end. India U19, who were missing their tournament's leading wicket-taker, Ishan Sood, due to a niggle, used eight different bowlers as captain Lakshya Raichandani had a busy day on the field.
For India U19, Kavya Patel and Chigurupati Venkata were the pick of the bowlers as they picked four and three wickets, respectively and pulled things back for India with strong bowling in the death overs.
Usman Khan was one of the stars for Pakistan U19 once again as he smashed his second century of the tournament. The opener made a stroke-filled 107 from 111 balls, laced with 11 fours and three sixes, while Abdul Qadir put a brilliant, impactful innings of 80 from 54 deliveries.
Pakistan U19 captain Farhan Yousaf also came good as he made 63 from 60 balls to lead his team into the death overs.
The defending champions Pakistan began strongly with openers Usman and Hayam Khan putting up a 62-run stand for the opening wicket. Pakistan were 93/1 at the powerplay stage when Kavya Patel nicked Hayam behind for Anvay Dravid to grab the edge in the ninth over.
However, Usman and Abdul went hammers and tongs behind the Indian bowlers right after they joined hands, with the latter hitting 26 runs in his first eight balls only.
Abdul meted out a punishing treatment to India's lead spinner, Manal Chauhan, who was hit for 40 runs in his three overs as the left-arm spinner was taken to the cleaners more often than not.
Usman brought up his third fifty-plus score in the 15th over, and India U19 had to quickly change their spin options and bring in the likes of Yashbardhan Chauhan, Arjun Rajput and VK Vineeth.
Pakistan kept the foot on the gas, and Abdul smashed Manal for a couple of towering sixes in the 23rd over before he hit Yashbardhan for another pair of sixes in the next one.
Off-spinner Arjun got the crucial breakthrough by breaking the 135-run second-wicket stand when he removed Abdul for 80 as the Pakistan batter found backward point on his cut.
Farhan and Usman kept the scoreboard ticking, and the latter brought his second tournament century in the 35th over. India made a comeback in between when they did not concede many runs for a few overs. Pakistan U19 were 197/2 after 27 overs, and they remained 210/2 after 32 overs before Usman and Farhan added a few quick runs.
Medium pacer Kavya Patel then got the prized wicket of Usman in the 37th over when the batter slapped one straight to mid-off. The Pakistan U19 captain got to his second tournament fifty in the 43rd over, but India U19 made a strong comeback in the death overs.
Chigurupati Venkata took two wickets in the 45th over to begin the comeback. The medium-fast bowler bowled one slower to get Ahmed Hussain caught by Aaryavir Sehwag at mid-off for 17 before he got the set Yousaf with another slower one as the batter was caught at deep mid-wicket.
He returned in the next over and dismissed Hasnain Abbas Dar before Kavya got Hamza Zahoor caught at long-off in the 48th over. Kavya bowled the final over of the innings and gave only seven runs away.
Pakistan would rue not getting a strong death-over period. They were 274/3 at the 40-over mark and added 63 runs in the final 10 overs while they lost six more wickets to end at 337/9.
Brief Scores: Pakistan U19 337/9 in 50 overs (Usman Khan 107, Abdul Qadir 80; Kavya Patel 4-68, Chigurupati Venkata 3-40) against India U19.
Pakistan, the U19 Asia Cup defending champions, had a strong outing against the majority of the Indian bowlers to put up a strong score in the final, similar to what they did in the 2025 title clash when they had made 347/8.
Meanwhile, the Indian bowlers produced a strong comeback in the death overs to keep the lid and limit what could have been an easy 350 score at the end. India U19, who were missing their tournament's leading wicket-taker, Ishan Sood, due to a niggle, used eight different bowlers as captain Lakshya Raichandani had a busy day on the field.
For India U19, Kavya Patel and Chigurupati Venkata were the pick of the bowlers as they picked four and three wickets, respectively and pulled things back for India with strong bowling in the death overs.
Usman Khan was one of the stars for Pakistan U19 once again as he smashed his second century of the tournament. The opener made a stroke-filled 107 from 111 balls, laced with 11 fours and three sixes, while Abdul Qadir put a brilliant, impactful innings of 80 from 54 deliveries.
Pakistan U19 captain Farhan Yousaf also came good as he made 63 from 60 balls to lead his team into the death overs.
The defending champions Pakistan began strongly with openers Usman and Hayam Khan putting up a 62-run stand for the opening wicket. Pakistan were 93/1 at the powerplay stage when Kavya Patel nicked Hayam behind for Anvay Dravid to grab the edge in the ninth over.
However, Usman and Abdul went hammers and tongs behind the Indian bowlers right after they joined hands, with the latter hitting 26 runs in his first eight balls only.
Abdul meted out a punishing treatment to India's lead spinner, Manal Chauhan, who was hit for 40 runs in his three overs as the left-arm spinner was taken to the cleaners more often than not.
Usman brought up his third fifty-plus score in the 15th over, and India U19 had to quickly change their spin options and bring in the likes of Yashbardhan Chauhan, Arjun Rajput and VK Vineeth.
Pakistan kept the foot on the gas, and Abdul smashed Manal for a couple of towering sixes in the 23rd over before he hit Yashbardhan for another pair of sixes in the next one.
Off-spinner Arjun got the crucial breakthrough by breaking the 135-run second-wicket stand when he removed Abdul for 80 as the Pakistan batter found backward point on his cut.
Farhan and Usman kept the scoreboard ticking, and the latter brought his second tournament century in the 35th over. India made a comeback in between when they did not concede many runs for a few overs. Pakistan U19 were 197/2 after 27 overs, and they remained 210/2 after 32 overs before Usman and Farhan added a few quick runs.
Medium pacer Kavya Patel then got the prized wicket of Usman in the 37th over when the batter slapped one straight to mid-off. The Pakistan U19 captain got to his second tournament fifty in the 43rd over, but India U19 made a strong comeback in the death overs.
Chigurupati Venkata took two wickets in the 45th over to begin the comeback. The medium-fast bowler bowled one slower to get Ahmed Hussain caught by Aaryavir Sehwag at mid-off for 17 before he got the set Yousaf with another slower one as the batter was caught at deep mid-wicket.
He returned in the next over and dismissed Hasnain Abbas Dar before Kavya got Hamza Zahoor caught at long-off in the 48th over. Kavya bowled the final over of the innings and gave only seven runs away.
Pakistan would rue not getting a strong death-over period. They were 274/3 at the 40-over mark and added 63 runs in the final 10 overs while they lost six more wickets to end at 337/9.
Brief Scores: Pakistan U19 337/9 in 50 overs (Usman Khan 107, Abdul Qadir 80; Kavya Patel 4-68, Chigurupati Venkata 3-40) against India U19.
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