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BULAWAYO: India outplayed Pakistan by 58 runs to secure a place in the semi-final of the ICC U19 World Cup 2026 here at the Queens Sports Club on Sunday.
Set to chase 253 in 33.3 overs, Pakistan were effectively out of the contest by the 24th over due to their cautious approach, whereas a middle-order collapse eventually saw them lose the match.
With a steep task required, Pakistan needed a strong opening foundation; however, the openers’ wickets fell with only 23 on the board in 3.4 overs.
The breakout star for Pakistan, Sameer Minhas, managed nine from 11 balls.
After an early hiccup, Usman Khan and Hamza Zahoor put the chase back on track with a 60-run partnership from 80 balls.
The pair brought the team’s total to 88 at the end of 17 overs.
Kanishk Chouhan provided India the much-needed breakthrough in the shape of Zahoor’s wicket, who was bowled after scoring 42 from 49 balls with the help of eight fours.
Despite the wicket, Pakistan continued on as skipper Farhan Yousaf and Usman Khan added another 63 runs for the third wicket.
RS Ambrish picked up the wicket of Yousaf to break the stand, a wicket that sparked a collapse from which Pakistan could not recover.
The skipper made 38 off 39, striking three fours and two sixes.
After his wicket, Pakistan lost their way as they slumped to 151-3 in 29.4 overs to 183-7 and later all-out.
Usman top-scored with 66 off 92, including seven fours.
For India, Khilan Patel and captain Ayush Mhatre shared six wickets between them.
Earlier, Abdul Subhan took a three-wicket haul as Pakistan restricted India from posting a daunting total
Put into bat first, India’s innings folded for 252 in 49.4 overs.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Aaron George provided India a rapid start, adding 47 for the opening wicket in the first 7.4 overs.
Sooryavanshi remained the core aggressor, striking six and five fours in his 30 from 22. However, Mohammad Sayyam delivered a much-needed breakthrough for Pakistan as India lost both openers in the same over.
The right-arm pacer first removed Sooryavanshi, who was caught, and followed it by George’s wicket.
India were further in dire straits as their skipper, Ayush Mhatre, was sent packing for a duck. Thus, the men in blue were reduced to 47-3 in 8.1 overs.
With India in deep trouble, Vedant Trivedi came to the fore and held India’s innings together.
The right-hander remained instrumental in powering India to a respectable total. He first stitched a crucial 62-run partnership with Vihaan Malhotra, who made 21.
Then he strung a couple of stands with middled order batters, Abhigyan Kundu and RS Ambrish, to put India out of trouble.
He eventually departed in the 40th over, after scoring 68 from 98 with the help of two fours and a six. At this stage, India were 182-6.
Nonetheless, India lost three wickets in the final over, but Kanishk Chouhan’s (35 from 29 balls) ensured that they set a challenging target for Pakistan.
For Pakistan, Abdul Subhan picked up a three-wicket haul while Mohammad Sayyam picked up two wickets.
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