Pakistan defeated archrivals India by three wickets in a thrilling Under-19 Asia Cup encounter in Muscat, chasing a target of 209 runs in 48.1 overs to secure a memorable victory and continue their dominance over India in the tournament.
India won the toss and elected to bat first but struggled against Pakistan's disciplined bowling attack, with the entire team dismissed for 208 in 46.3 overs.
Arjun Rajput was India's standout performer, scoring an impressive 107 off 85 balls. However, the rest of the batting lineup failed to provide significant support as Pakistan's bowlers kept the pressure on throughout the innings.
Ali Raza, Naqab Shafiq and Rizwanullah led Pakistan's bowling attack, taking three wickets each. Ali Raza conceded 37 runs, Naqab Shafiq gave away 42, while Rizwanullah claimed his three wickets for 24 runs.
In response, Pakistan faced some challenges during the run chase but maintained their composure to reach the target with seven wickets down.
Hamza Zahoor played a match-winning innings, scoring an unbeaten 100 to guide Pakistan to victory. Hasnain Abbas Dar also made a valuable contribution, adding 38 runs to the total.
For India, Manal Chauhan claimed three wickets, but his efforts were not enough to prevent Pakistan from securing the win.
The victory also continued Pakistan's recent success against India in the Under-19 Asia Cup. Pakistan had defeated their archrivals in the final of the previous edition to lift the championship trophy.
