India U19 defeated Pakistan U19 by 58 runs in their Super Six Group 2 encounter of the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup at the Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, on Sunday.
Set a target of 253, Pakistan were dismissed for 194 in 46.2 overs, despite determined efforts from Usman Khan and Hamza Zahoor.
Earlier, India were bowled out for 252 in 49.5 overs after opting to bat first. Vedant Trivedi led the scoring with a well-made 68, while Pakistan’s bowlers applied pressure during the middle overs. Abdul Subhan was the standout, claiming three wickets for 33 runs, and Mohammad Sayyam chipped in with two scalps.
Pakistan’s chase started on a positive note as wicketkeeper-batter Hamza Zahoor played an attacking knock of 42 from 49 balls, striking eight fours. After losing an early wicket, Usman Khan anchored the innings with a composed 66 off 92 deliveries. He added 63 runs for the third wicket with captain Farhan Yousaf, who contributed a brisk 38 off 39 balls, including three fours and two sixes.
However, frequent wickets in the middle overs halted Pakistan’s momentum, with Indian spinners Ayush Mhatre and Khilan Patel taking three wickets each to seal the victory.
With this loss, Pakistan were eliminated from semi-final contention. The team played five matches in the 16-team tournament, registering three wins and two defeats. Pakistan are scheduled to return home from Harare via Dubai on Monday evening.