Two unbeaten sides meet in Muscat
Pakistan take on India today, Sunday 8 November, in the biggest fixture of the ACC Men’s Under-19 Asia Cup so far — a Group A meeting between the two unbeaten sides at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Muscat, Oman. The first ball is at 10:00 AM Pakistan time, with the toss half an hour earlier, and the defending champions arrive as the form side of the group.
Both teams won their opening matches in commanding style. Pakistan swept aside the UAE by nine wickets on Friday, chasing down 225 with more than twelve overs to spare, while India beat Nepal by ten wickets in their first game. That sets up today’s match as a straight fight for the top of Group A, with the semi-finals scheduled for 12 November and the final on 14 November.
The tournament runs from 5 to 14 November with eight teams split into two groups. Pakistan and India share Group A with Nepal and the UAE, while Group B holds Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Pakistan’s final group game is against Nepal on 10 November, so today’s result will shape how much pressure that last match carries.
Usman Khan, the man in form
No Pakistan player arrives in better touch than opener Usman Khan. He smashed an unbeaten 139 off 120 balls against the UAE, an innings built on 21 fours and a six, and shared a 153-run opening stand with Jahangir Bilal, who made 60 off 87. Pakistan reached 225 for one in 37.3 overs, with Abdul Qadir finishing the job on 20 not out.
The bowling was just as convincing. The UAE were bowled out for 224 after captain Farhan Yousuf won the toss and chose to field, with Mohammad Sayyam taking three for 37 and Ali Raza, Rizwanullah and Hasnain Abbas Dar sharing six wickets between them. It was a complete performance — early wickets, a controlled chase, and no panic at any stage — and it is exactly the template Pakistan will want to repeat against stronger opposition today.
Yousuf’s captaincy will matter more today than it did on Friday. Against the UAE he could afford to rotate his bowlers and let the openers settle; against India the first ten overs with bat and ball are likely to decide the shape of the game. If Usman Khan bats through the powerplay again, Pakistan’s middle order will have a platform to build on rather than a rescue job to perform.
Sehwag and Dravid’s sons in India’s ranks
India’s squad carries two of the most famous surnames in cricket. Aaryavir Sehwag, son of former India opener Virender Sehwag, and Anvay Dravid, son of former India captain and head coach Rahul Dravid, are both in the fifteen, with Dravid listed as one of two wicketkeepers alongside Rajat Baghel. Both earned their places through age-group performances at home, and both will know that a big innings against Pakistan is the fastest way to step out of their fathers’ shadows.
The side is led by Lakshya Raichandani, with Yashbardhan Singh Chauhan as his deputy. India’s full squad is Raichandani, Chauhan, Aaryavir Sehwag, V.K. Vineeth, Kushagra Ojha, Arjun Rajput, Manal Chauhan, Anvay Dravid, Rajat Baghel, V. Yashveer, Aryan Savsani, Mohit Ulva, Kavya Patel, Shavin Vinodh and Ishan Sood.
Pakistan’s fifteen, announced by the PCB on 27 October, is Farhan Yousuf (captain), Abdul Qadir and Hamza Zahoor (wicketkeepers), Abdul Subhan, Ahmed Hussain, Ali Raza, Hasnain Abbas Dar, Hayam Khan, Huzaifa Ahsan, Jahangir Bilal, Mohammad Huzaifa, Mohammad Sayyam, Niqab Shafiq, Rizwanullah and Usman Khan. The balance is familiar: a strong top order, two keepers for flexibility, and a bowling attack built around the seamers who shared the wickets on Friday.
Probable XIs and where to watch
The probable Pakistan XI, as reported ahead of the game, keeps the winning combination from the UAE match: Farhan Yousuf (captain), Hamza Zahoor (wicketkeeper), Usman Khan, Jahangir Bilal, Huzaifa Ahsan, Ahmed Hussain, Hasnain Abbas Dar, Ali Raza, Mohammad Sayyam, Rizwanullah and Niqab Shafiq. That is the team that delivered on Friday, and there is little reason to change it for a match of this size — though the final XI will only be confirmed at the toss.
In Pakistan, the match will be shown live on PTV Sports and Geo Super. In India it is on the Sony Sports Network and streaming on SonyLIV. For Pakistan supporters the equation is simple: a win today takes the defending champions to the top of Group A and into the semi-finals with momentum, while a defeat leaves the Nepal game as a must-win. Either way, an India-Pakistan fixture at any level is the match every fan circles first — and today, for the under-19s, it is the one that decides the group.
Sources: NajamSports match preview; The Daily Jagran streaming guide.
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