The ACC U19 Asia Cup is the Asian Cricket Council’s flagship 50-over tournament for Under-19 sides from its member nations. India remain the most successful team in its history with eight titles, but the last three editions have all gone elsewhere.
Pakistan’s win in 2025 came at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai on 21 December, where they posted 347 for 8 and then bowled India out for 156 in 26.2 overs. Before that, Bangladesh had taken the 2023 and 2024 titles.
The first edition was held in Bangladesh in 1989. India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka played a double round-robin, and India, led by Ranjib Biswal, beat Sri Lanka by 79 runs in the final. Sourav Ganguly, Vinod Kambli, Ajay Jadeja, Aashish Kapoor and Jatin Paranjape were all in that squad.
The tournament then went 14 years without an edition before returning in Pakistan in 2003, where Ambati Rayudu’s India beat the hosts by eight wickets. The third edition came another nine years later, in Malaysia in 2012, and ended with the final tied and India and Pakistan sharing the trophy.
ACC U19 Asia Cup winners list: All champions from 1989 to 2025
|
Year |
Host Nation |
Winner |
Runner-up |
Final result |
|
1989 |
Bangladesh |
India |
Sri Lanka |
India won by 79 runs |
|
2003 |
Pakistan |
India |
Sri Lanka |
India won by 8 wickets |
|
2012 |
Malaysia |
India and Pakistan (shared) |
– |
Final tied, trophy shared |
|
2013/14 |
United Arab Emirates |
India |
Pakistan |
India won by 40 runs |
|
2016 |
Sri Lanka |
India |
Sri Lanka |
India won by 34 runs |
|
2017 |
Malaysia |
Afghanistan |
Pakistan |
Afghanistan won by 185 runs |
|
2018 |
Bangladesh |
India |
Sri Lanka |
India won by 144 runs |
|
2019 |
Sri Lanka |
India |
Bangladesh |
India won by 5 runs |
|
2021 |
United Arab Emirates |
India |
Sri Lanka |
India won by 9 wickets (DLS) |
|
2023 |
United Arab Emirates |
Bangladesh |
United Arab Emirates |
Bangladesh won by 195 runs |
|
2024 |
United Arab Emirates |
Bangladesh |
India |
Bangladesh won by 59 runs |
|
2025 |
United Arab Emirates |
Pakistan |
India |
Pakistan won by 191 runs |
ACC U19 Asia Cup 2025: Pakistan’s 191-run win over India
The 2025 final was decided by one innings. Sameer Minhas made an unbeaten 172 off 113 balls to carry Pakistan to 347 for 8 in their 50 overs, and India never got close to the target of 348, folding for 156 with more than 23 overs unused.
The 191-run margin is the second-biggest in an ACC U19 Asia Cup final, behind Bangladesh’s 195-run win over hosts UAE in 2023. Minhas was named both Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament.
Both semi-finals were won by eight wickets: India beat Sri Lanka, and Pakistan beat Bangladesh, the two-time defending champions.
For Pakistan it was a first outright title. Their only previous share of the trophy came in 2012, when the final against India ended in a tie in Malaysia and the two sides were declared joint winners.
Most successful teams in the ACC U19 Asia Cup
|
Team |
Titles |
Winning years |
|
India |
8 |
1989, 2003, 2012*, 2013/14, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021 |
|
Bangladesh |
2 |
2023, 2024 |
|
Pakistan |
2 |
2012*, 2025 |
|
Afghanistan |
1 |
2017 |
*The 2012 title is shared. India and Pakistan were declared joint champions after the final was tied, so that edition counts once for each of them.
Sri Lanka are the most frequent losing finalists with five runners-up finishes, and have never won the tournament.
How the ACC U19 Asia Cup works
The tournament is played over 50 overs a side. Recent editions have used an eight-team field: the five ACC full members — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka — plus three qualifiers. In 2024 those places went to Japan, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates.
The eight teams are split into two groups of four. The top two from each group go through to the semi-finals, and the semi-final winners meet in the final.
The last three editions have all been staged in the United Arab Emirates, which has also hosted 2013/14 and 2021. The early years were far more irregular: after 1989 there was a 14-year gap to 2003, and another nine years to 2012. The tournament has run roughly every one to two years since 2013/14, with no edition in 2020 or 2022.
If you are following the age-group game more widely, our lists of the most runs in Under-19 World Cup history and the highest individual scores at the U19 World Cup cover the global tournament, and the Asia Cup winners list tracks the senior competition.
ACC U19 Asia Cup winners: Frequently asked questions
Who won the ACC U19 Asia Cup 2025?
Pakistan. They beat India by 191 runs in the final at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai on 21 December 2025.
Which team has won the most ACC U19 Asia Cup titles?
India, with eight — 1989, 2003, 2012 (shared), 2013/14, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021.
Had Pakistan won the U19 Asia Cup before 2025?
Only jointly. They shared the 2012 trophy with India after the final in Malaysia was tied. The 2025 title is their first outright.
Has India ever lost an ACC U19 Asia Cup final?
Twice, and both recently: to Bangladesh by 59 runs in 2024 and to Pakistan by 191 runs in 2025.
When was the first ACC U19 Asia Cup held?
In Bangladesh in 1989. India beat Sri Lanka by 79 runs in the final.
Which teams other than India have won it?
Bangladesh (2023 and 2024), Pakistan (2012 shared, 2025) and Afghanistan (2017).
Photo credit: Imago