However, batting inconsistencies remain a concern, especially after collapsing against India’s bowlers earlier.
Probable Playing XI India U19 (Batting-heavy with spin options):
Ayush Mhatre (c), Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Vihaan Malhotra, Vedant Trivedi, Abhigyan Kundu (wk), Aaron George, Kanishk Chouhan, Deepesh Devendran, Yuvraj Gohil, Khilan A. Patel, Anmoljeet Singh.
(Spin duo of Chouhan and Patel to exploit Dubai’s turning track; Devendran leads the seam attack.)
Pakistan U19 (Pace-dominated bowling, aggressive top order):
Farhan Yousaf (c), Usman Khan (vc), Abdul Subhan, Sameer Minhas, Mohammad Sayyam, Ali Raza, Niqab Shafiq, Ahmed Hussain, Hamza Zahoor (wk), Mohammad Shayan (wk), Ali Hasan Baloch.
(Subhan and Raza form a fiery new-ball pair; Minhas provides all-round stability.)
Pitch report: The Dubai surface favors batsmen early but assists spinners later, with an average first-innings score of 250. Teams winning the toss may bat first to set a platform.
Team Form: India’s Dominance Meets Pakistan’s Resilience
India entered the tournament as favorites and lived up to the billing, topping Group A with wins over UAE (by 10 wickets), Pakistan (90 runs), and Malaysia (by 321 runs). Their semi-final chase of 132 against Sri Lanka was clinical, led by Malhotra’s unbeaten 61. Overall, India’s batting firepower (team average 85.3) and bowling economy (4.2 rpo) have been unmatched.Pakistan stumbled in their opener against India but rebounded spectacularly, thrashing UAE by 70 runs and Malaysia by 297 runs (powered by Minhas’ unbeaten 177). Their semi-final masterclass—Subhan’s 4/20 dismantling Bangladesh—showed grit, but the batting fragility exposed against India (all out for 150) looms large.
