Pakistan’s Under-19 batter Sameer Minhas fulfilled a childhood dream with a remarkable 172 runs off 113 balls, leading his team to a commanding 191-run victory over archrivals India in the final of the Under-19s Asia Cup held in Dubai on Sunday.
Since picking up the bat at the age of nine, Minhas aspired to score big in a major final, and on Sunday, he brought that dream to life. His innings, featuring nine sixes and 17 boundaries, propelled Pakistan to a formidable total of 347/8. The fast bowling trio of Ali Raza, Abdul Subhan, and Mohammad Sayyam then dismantled the Indian batting lineup, skittling them for just 156 runs in 26.2 overs.
Hailing from a cricketing family, Minhas’s elder brother Arafat has played four T20Is for Pakistan, and his father, Kashif, enjoyed a solid club-level cricket career in Multan.
“It was my childhood dream to do something memorable in cricket, and I am happy that I have done the first memorable thing with this hundred, which will remain with me throughout my career, and the icing on the cake is that I did it against India,” Minhas remarked.
This victory marks Pakistan’s seventh win over India in 11 encounters at the junior level since 2019. It was reminiscent of the 2017 Champions Trophy, where Pakistan lost in the group stage but triumphed with an 180-run victory in the final.
Minhas was named both Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament. He shared that the Asia Cup win was a topic of discussion before the final, stating, “Sarfaraz Sir mentioned this and made us believe in our ability that we can beat the Indian team.”
He also noted that he did not experience any additional pressure playing against India. “We played them before in the tournament, so there was no pressure, and when they put us in to bat, we were happy that if we managed to put a good total, they would be under pressure.”
On Sunday, Minhas’s home in Multan was alive with excitement as his family anticipated his performance. “Yes, we were expecting some fireworks from Minhas, and I am proud that my son has played a key role in the team’s win over India,” said Kashif Minhas. “You know a win against India gives us four hundred per cent delight.”
Kashif raised his sons with diligence and integrity, balancing work in selling mangoes and traditional Multan halwa (sweet).