Former Pakistan captain and current Under-19 team mentor Sarfaraz Ahmed has urged his young side to script a dramatic turnaround against India in Sunday’s Junior Asia Cup final in Dubai, drawing inspiration from Pakistan’s iconic Champions Trophy triumph in 2017.
Pakistan had suffered a heavy 124-run defeat to India in the group stage of the Champions Trophy in Birmingham, only to produce a stunning performance in the final at The Oval to lift the title. Sarfaraz now believes history can repeat itself at the junior level.
From Group-Stage Setback to Final Opportunity
Pakistan Under-19 lost to India by 90 runs in the group stage of the ongoing tournament but have fought their way back to the final, where they have another chance to claim the title, this time outright.
India remain the most successful side in the history of the Under-19 Asia Cup, having won the tournament eight times since its inception in 1989. Pakistan’s only title came in 2012, which they shared with India.
Forget the Defeat and Make it Memorable
Sarfaraz, who captained Pakistan to their Champions Trophy success in 2017 and also led the country to the Under-19 World Cup title in 2006, said the players must put the group-stage loss behind them.
If it goes like the Champions Trophy 2017, then it would be great. I have told the players about that event in 2017, so it is up to them to make the occasion memorable.
Batting Approach Under the Spotlight
Sarfaraz identified cautious batting as the key reason behind Pakistan’s earlier defeat to India.
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 not fear anything.
Pakistan, however, did manage to defeat India earlier in the season, when Shahzaib Khan smashed a stunning 159, including ten sixes, in a memorable 43-run victory.
Form Players and World Cup Focus
Pakistan progressed to the final after finishing with two wins from three matches in Group A before defeating Bangladesh by eight wickets in the second semi-final on Friday.
Much will depend on Sameer Minhas, Pakistan’s leading run-scorer with 299 runs from four matches, including a century and a half-century. In the bowling department, right-arm pacer Abdul Subhan has been outstanding with 11 wickets from three games, while left-arm quick Mohammad Sayyam has chipped in with eight wickets.
Subhan and Sameer are two good prospects for the future. We need to win this final so that our morale for the World Cup goes higher.
The ICC Under-19 World Cup will be held in Zimbabwe and Kenya from January 15. Before that, Pakistan will take part in a tri-series with Afghanistan and hosts Zimbabwe from December 25 to January 6 as part of their preparations.
