Former Pakistan captain and Under-19 team mentor Sarfaraz Ahmed is eager for his squad to defeat India in the final of the Junior Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday, hoping for a repeat of the 2017 Champions Trophy success.
Pakistan lost the Group match against India in Birmingham by 124 runs, but staged a remarkable comeback to win the Champions Trophy final by 180 runs at The Oval. In their current campaign, the Pakistan Under-19 team also suffered a substantial defeat against India in the Group match, losing by 90 runs. Now, they face another chance to claim the title outright for the first time.
India currently leads the trophy race in the U-19 Asia Cup, having won the title eight times since its inception in 1989. Pakistan’s only victory came in 2012, which they shared with India.
Sarfaraz mentioned that it would be excellent if the Pakistan Juniors can set aside their earlier defeat. “If it goes like the Champions Trophy 2017 then it would be great,” he said. “I have told the players about that event in 2017, so it is up to the players to make the occasion memorable,” he added.
Sarfaraz captained the team during the 2017 success and also led Pakistan to their second and last Under-19 World Cup title in 2006.
Regarding the earlier Group match loss, Sarfaraz noted that poor batting was a factor in the defeat. “We got them bowled out for 240, which was a good total to chase, but then batted very slowly. I have told the players to bat aggressively and do not fear anything,” he stated.
In the ongoing eight-team event, Pakistan triumphed over India in a Group match by 43 runs, with Shahzaib Khan hitting ten sixes in his impressive 159.
Throughout the tournament, Pakistan secured two victories out of three games in Group ‘A’, advancing to the final after a convincing eight-wicket win against Bangladesh in the second semi-final on December 19.
The team will heavily rely on their batting star Sameer Minhas, who is the highest run-getter with 299 runs in four matches, including a century and a half-century. In the bowling department, right-arm pacer Abdul Subhan has been the standout performer, claiming 11 wickets from three matches, while left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Sayyam has taken eight wickets to date.
“Subhan and Sameer are two good prospects for the future. We need to win this final so that our morale in the World Cup goes higher,” Sarfaraz stated, referring to the upcoming mega event in Zimbabwe and Kenya starting on January 15.
Prior to the Junior World Cup, Pakistan will participate in a tri-series alongside Afghanistan and hosts Zimbabwe, set to take place from December 25 to January 6, serving as crucial preparation for the ICC U19 World Cup.