A commanding all-round performance saw Pakistan's Under-19 cricket team secure a convincing 69-run victory against the United States of America (USA) in their second warm-up fixture ahead of the ICC Men’s U-19 World Cup 2026. The match took place at the Bulawayo Athletic Club on Tuesday, providing the young Greenshirts with ideal preparation.
Minhas Sets the Stage with Blistering Batting
Choosing to bat first after losing the toss, the Pakistani side, a two-time champion at this level, posted a formidable total of 294 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their full quota of 50 overs. The innings was ignited by opener Sameer Minhas, who played a spectacular knock. He smashed 74 runs off just 55 deliveries, an innings laced with eight boundaries and four sixes, setting a aggressive tempo from the outset.
The foundation laid by Minhas was solidly built upon by the middle order. Ahmed Hussain contributed a steady 43 runs, while Huzaifa Ahsan added 38 to the scoreboard. The final flourish came from Ali Hasan Baloch, whose explosive cameo of 36 runs from a mere 19 balls, featuring three sixes and two fours, propelled Pakistan close to the 300-run mark.
Disciplined Bowling Seals Dominant Win
Facing a challenging target of 295, the American team showed initial fight. Their opener, Sahil Garg, anchored the innings with a well-made 75 off 83 balls. He forged a crucial 66-run partnership for the third wicket with captain Utkarsh Srivastava, who scored 36.
However, the departure of Garg in the 30th over triggered a collapse. The Pakistani bowling attack maintained relentless discipline, causing regular wickets to fall. The USA batting lineup eventually folded, being bowled out for 225 runs in 43.5 overs. Nitish Sudini offered some late resistance with 34, but it was insufficient.
The bowling honors were shared collectively. Abdul Subhan, Momin Qamar, and Ahmed Hussain each claimed two wickets. They were ably supported by Ali Raza, Niqab Shafiq, Daniyal Ali Khan, and Usman Khan, who took one wicket apiece.
Confident Start Ahead of Title Campaign
This emphatic warm-up victory serves as a significant confidence booster for the reigning Asian U-19 champions. The team will now turn its focus to the main tournament, where they are set to begin their World Cup campaign against England in Harare this Friday. The performance in Bulawayo demonstrates a team coming together effectively with both bat and ball.
Brief Scores: Pakistan U-19 294/8 in 50 overs (Sameer Minhas 74, Ahmed Hussain 43; Utkarsh Srivastava 3/26) beat USA U-19 225 all out in 43.5 overs (Sahil Garg 75, Utkarsh Srivastava 36; Abdul Subhan 2/27, Momin Qamar 2/24, Ahmed Hussain 2/22) by 69 runs.
