Star opener falls early after Pakistan elects to bowl first.
The much-anticipated showdown between arch-rivals has started on a shaky note for the Men in Blue. During the high-stakes India vs Pakistan U19 Asia Cup clash at the ICC Academy Ground on Saturday, India’s star opener, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, failed to replicate his previous heroics, departing early in the innings.
The atmosphere in Dubai was electric as the two teams met for this Group A encounter. However, the Indian camp was dealt an early blow when Suryavanshi was sent back to the pavilion after scoring just five runs. The young left-hander looked to be in touch initially, striking a boundary off Pakistani pacer Ali Raza in the third over. However, his stay at the crease was cut short abruptly when Mohammad Sayyam claimed his wicket after just six balls, giving Pakistan the early breakthrough they were desperate for.
Suryavanshi’s early exit came as a surprise to fans, especially considering the explosive form he displayed in India's tournament opener. Just days ago, against the UAE, the 14-year-old sensation hammered a blistering 171 runs off 95 balls. That innings, studded with 14 sixes, propelled India to a massive total of 433/6 and a comfortable victory. Unfortunately, he couldn't find the same rhythm against the Pakistani bowling attack.
Earlier in the day, the match faced a slight delay due to weather. Rain interruptions forced officials to reduce the game to 49 overs per side. Pakistan U19 captain Farhan Yousaf won the toss and wasted no time in electing to bowl first, looking to exploit the overhead conditions.
Pakistan entered this contest with high confidence as well. In their first game, they decimated Malaysia U19 by a massive margin of 297 runs. Their star performer, Sameer Minhas, was unstoppable, scoring an unbeaten 177 to help his side post 345/3. Their bowlers, including Sayyam and Raza, were clinical in that match, bundling Malaysia out for under 50 runs.
As the match progresses, the Indian middle order will need to step up to set a competitive target for their neighbors.
Playing XIs for the Match:
India U19: Ayush Mhatre (C), Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Aaron George, Vihaan Malhotra, Vedant Trivedi, Abhigyan Kundu (WK), Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan Patel, Deepesh Devendran, Kishan Kumar Singh, Henil Patel.
Pakistan U19: Farhan Yousaf (C), Usman Khan, Sameer Minhas, Ali Hassan Baloch, Ahmed Hussain, Hamza Zahoor (WK), Huzaifa Ahsan, Niqab Shafiq, Abdul Subhan, Mohammad Sayyam, Ali Raza.
