Pakistan have found a new match-winner in every game, and India get one more go at them in the Under-19 Asia Cup final
India have not won the Under-19 Asia Cup since 2021, and the only side to beat them in Oman stands between them and a ninth title on Saturday.
Nov 13, 2026
Pakistan have played four games at this Under-19 Asia Cup and found a different match-winner in each. Usman Khan made 139 not out against the UAE. Hamza Zahoor got them home from five down against India. Ahmed Hussain scored 89 and took four wickets against Nepal, and Rizwanullah’s 5 for 30 bowled Bangladesh out in the semi-final.
India get one more go at them in Saturday’s final at Al Amerat in Oman. The toss is at 10am IST and play starts at 10:30am, live on Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV.
India’s last title was in 2021
India have won this tournament eight times, one of them shared with Pakistan in 2012, and that is more than every other side put together. But they have not won it since 2021. Bangladesh took the next two titles, and Pakistan beat India by 191 runs in last year’s final in Dubai. India have never gone four editions in a row without the trophy.
Lakshya Raichandani’s side do have the tournament’s leading run-scorer. Aaryavir Sehwag has 303 runs in four innings at an average of 101, with a hundred and two fifties. Ishan Sood is India’s leading wicket-taker with 11, level with Rizwanullah.
What went wrong on 8 November
The group game is the only one India have lost. Ali Raza had Raichandani out for a duck, India slid to 86 for 5, and they only reached 208 because Arjun Rajput made 107 off 85 balls. Raza finished with 3 for 37.
India then had Pakistan five down in the chase as well. Zahoor and Hasnain Abbas Dar put on 107 for the sixth wicket, Zahoor finished on 100 not out off 108 balls, and Pakistan won by three wickets with 11 balls to spare.
Sehwag made 22 that day. His other 281 runs came against Nepal, the UAE and Afghanistan, and Saturday is a much harder test of whether he can do it against this attack. Raichandani’s 93 against Afghanistan in the semi-final, after scores of 0 and 17 in his previous two innings, came at a good time.
Pakistan bat deep
Usman Khan is Pakistan’s leading scorer with 238 runs, and he and Hayam Khan both made fifties in the semi-final chase. What worries me more, if I’m India, is the lower order. Zahoor came in with the game slipping away. Hussain, who also bowls, made 89 against Nepal.
Farhan Yousaf’s side are unbeaten and defending the title. India have the top run-scorer and a share of the lead among the finalists’ wicket-takers. If Sood gets Usman Khan early and India’s openers are still there after ten overs, I think this final will be a lot closer than last year’s.