India maintained its flawless streak in the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026, defeating arch-rivals Pakistan by 58 runs at the Queens Sports Club. The victory not only secured India a place in the semi-finals but also confirmed its position as the top team in the Super Sixes group.
After being sent in to bat, India’s top order faced a nightmare start against Pakistan’s moving ball. Left-arm seamer Mohammad Sayyam and Abdul Subhan devastated the top three, at one point taking three wickets in just four deliveries to leave India reeling at 47/3.
Vedant Trivedi, who had struggled for form throughout the tournament, played a mature and patient innings of 68 off 98 balls.
With the score at a precarious 200/7, Kanishk Chouhan (35 off 29) and Khilan Patel (21 off 15)* added a vital 50-run stand in just five overs.
Aided by Pakistan's slow over-rate, which forced them to keep an extra fielder inside the circle for the final four overs, India plundered 39 runs at the death to reach a competitive 252.
To eliminate India and qualify for the semi-finals, Pakistan faced a steep mathematical challenge: they needed to chase down the 253-run target in just 33.3 overs.
Early blow: Henil Patel removed Pakistan’s star man, Sameer Minhas, for just 9 in the fourth over, pinning him in front with a ball that kept low.
Lack of urgency: Despite having wickets in hand, Pakistan’s top order adopted a bafflingly defensive approach, consuming 84 dot balls in the first 21 overs.
The implosion: Once the 33.3-over mark passed and qualification became impossible, the Pakistani chase fell apart. From 159/4, they suffered a spectacular collapse, losing 8 wickets for just 43 runs.
India enters the semi-finals with concerns over the top-order form; specifically skipper Ayush Mhatre, who suffered another first-ball duck. However, the depth of their all-rounders and the defensive discipline of spinners like Kanishk Chouhan (10-1-30-1) make them favourites for the clash in Harare.
