I've been doing some research before I put down my thoughts on Umar Zaib.
He has been a standout bowler for Abbottabad Region, finishing with excellent figures overall about 15 wickets at an average 15.27 and economy around 4.0 over 7 matches, which highlights his knack for taking regular wickets.
Then, 5-31 against Afghanistan that helped Pakistan secure a big win and clinch a place in the final. He was rightly named Player of the Match for his impact with the ball.
Umar Zaib is quietly shaping into one of Pakistan’s more promising U-19 pace bowling prospects, and his rise feels well earned rather than hyped.
He seems to bowl at a decent pace, and gets good bounce off the pitch. What’s impressive is how quickly he’s made his mark at U-19 level. That 5 wicket haul against Afghanistan in the tri-series was a big moment. It wasn’t just about pace; he bowled smartly, kept hitting the right areas, and handled pressure really well for someone his age.
In domestic U-19 cricket, he’s been pretty consistent too. He picks up wickets regularly and doesn’t leak too many runs, which tells you he understands his job.
He’s still raw, obviously. At times he tries a bit too hard to get wickets and loses his line, but that’s normal for young fast bowlers. The good thing is his action looks smooth and repeatable which makes a big difference going forward.
As always the bigger question is how Pakistan cricket handles him from here. If Umar Zaib is developed patiently and with gradual step-ups, proper workload management, and red-ball exposure, he could become a very solid long-term option.
He’s not the finished product, and he doesn’t need to be right now. But as a Pakistan U-19 bowler who’s already delivering in pressure games, he is definitely one to keep an eye on. Quietly effective, disciplined, and trending in the right direction.
