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DUBAI: Pakistan U-19 team manager and mentor Sarfaraz Ahmed opened up after his side’s victory in the ACC Men’s Asia Cup final against India, calling the win a ‘collective effort’ and ‘morale booster’.
Pakistan defeated India by a hefty margin of 191 runs in the final to lift the title for the second time after 13 long years.
Speaking after Pakistan’s triumph, Sarfaraz lauded the players for rising to the occasion and termed them future assets for Pakistan cricket if given the right opportunity.
“I told the boys to play openly and trust their abilities. I had talked to them in the previous matches as well. They are very talented, and if given the right investment, they can go ahead and win titles for Pakistan,” he remarked.
“It’s definitely a good victory. The morale of the Pakistan team is very high, and hopefully, we will carry this momentum forward in the World Cup,” he said, calling the victory a morale booster ahead of the mega event.
Regarding the team’s outstanding performance in the final against arch-rivals, he attributed it to hard work and effective management.
“You don’t shout magic into the team; it’s all God’s grace and the result of hard work. Whenever the team wins, whether it’s the players or team managers, being on the same page with the same goal makes a difference,” he continued.
The 38-year-old praised Sameer Minhas — who scored a monumental `172 in the final and earned the player of the tournament award, noting that he had never seen such an imperious knock at the Youth level.
“I have been following U19 cricket since 2002, and in my 23 years, I don’t think I’ve seen such a commanding innings in such a big final by any player,”
It’s a head-turning performance, and it came from the player’s own effort and the coaches who worked with them in the academies,” Sarfaraz said.
The former captain of the Pakistan team called the victory a collective effort, while also lauding the players for their individual contributions.
“The coaches have done a lot of hard work, and Subhan had outstanding bowling in the finals. Both Ali Raza and Subhan bowled amazingly, and Mohamed Siam also performed brilliantly.
So three bowlers delivered throughout the tournament. As I said, while there were individual performances, this is a collective team effort that made them champions,” he concluded.
READ: Sameer Minhas shatters multiple records in U19 Asia Cup final
