Bulawayo, Zimbabwe — In a high-stakes encounter at the Queens Sports Club, the young "Boys in Blue" continued their dominant run in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2026. India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by 58 runs in their final Super Six fixture on Sunday, February 1, 2026, securing the top spot in Group 2 and knocking Pakistan out of the tournament.
The Match Summary
India U19: 252 all out (49.5 overs)
Pakistan U19: 194 all out (46.2 overs)
Result: India won by 58 runs
Player of the Match: Kanishk Chouhan (35 runs & 1/30 with 40 dot balls)
How It Happened: The Indian Innings
After Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl, India faced an early storm. The lanky Pakistani pacer Abdul Subhan (3/33) and Mohammad Sayyam (2/69) dismantled India's top order within the first 10 overs. Star batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi showed a spark with a brisk 30, but India quickly found themselves reeling at 47/3.
The recovery was led by Vedant Trivedi, who played a gritty, anchor role. His patient 68 off 98 balls provided the much-needed stability. Worldbaazi was well-supported by Vihaan Malhotra (21) in a 62-run partnership.
Just as the innings seemed to be stuttering in the middle overs, the lower order provided the decisive "late flourish." All-rounders Kanishk Chouhan (35 off 29) and Khilan Patel (21 off 15) added a quickfire 50-run stand in just 5.1 overs, propelling India to a competitive total of 252.
The Chase: Pakistan Stutter Under Spin Pressure
The qualification math was clear: to leapfrog India into the semifinals, Pakistan needed to chase the target of 253 within 33.3 overs.
Pakistan started with intent, but the momentum was short-lived. Sameer Minhas was trapped LBW by Henil Patel early on. While Usman Khan (66) and Hamza Zahoor (42) put on a solid 65-run stand, they lacked the urgency required to meet the 33.3-over qualification deadline.
Once the qualification window passed at the 33.3-over mark (where Pakistan were only 167/4), the morale seemed to dip. India's spin trio took full advantage:
Ayush Mhatre (C): 3/21
Khilan Patel: 3/35
Kanishk Chouhan: 1/30 (including 40 dot balls)
Pakistan eventually collapsed from 151/2 to 194 all out, losing their last eight wickets for just 43 runs.
Key Takeaways
Clinical Spin Performance: On a surface that aided turn, skipper Ayush Mhatre and Khilan Patel were lethal, choking the run flow and forcing errors.
All-round Excellence: Kanishk Chouhan’s "Player of the Match" performance highlighted India's depth, contributing significantly with both bat and ball.
Unbeaten Streak: India enters the knockout stage with a 100% win record, finishing top of Super Six Group 2.
What’s Next?
With this victory, the semifinal lineup is set. India will face Afghanistan in Harare on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. In the other semifinal, Australia will take on England in Bulawayo.
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