India have stormed into the U-19 World Cup 2026 semifinals following a decisive 58-run victory over Pakistan in their high-stakes clash held at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on February 1. With this Pakistan's campaign at the U-19 World Cup came to an end. Pakistan entered the game needing a dominant win to overtake India in the standings and claim a spot in the final four, but the defending champions proved too resilient to be displaced.
India down Pakistan to storm into U-19 World Cup semis
After being put in to bat, the five-time champions faced an early collapse that threatened their campaign. However, India managed to recover and post a competitive total of 252 runs, primarily due to a gritty half-century from Vedant Trivedi. His composed performance under pressure stabilized the innings and provided the Indian bowlers with a defendable target.
Pakistan faced a steep uphill battle, needing not just a win, but to chase the target within 33.3 overs to surpass India’s net run rate and knock them out of the tournament. Their chase never gained the necessary momentum to meet that aggressive timeline, reaching only 167/4 at the critical 33-over mark. Ultimately, the Pakistan side was bowled out for 194, confirming India's advancement and ending their own tournament run.
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India’s innings began with a cautious yet productive opening stand, as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Aaron George put together 47 runs. The 14-year-old Suryavanshi, who had already survived a dropped catch and a run-out scare, was looking to shift gears when he finally edged a delivery from Mohammad Sayyam to the wicketkeeper. This breakthrough sparked a sudden collapse; on the very next ball, Sayyam dismissed the Indian captain, Ayush Mhatre, for a duck, and Aaron George was bowled at the start of the following over.
With India reeling at 47/3, Vedant Trivedi stepped in to provide much-needed stability. Under immense pressure, Trivedi anchored the innings, first building a 62-run partnership with Vihaan Malhotra to steady the ship. He continued his resilient knock, reaching a half-century in 74 balls and stitching together vital stands with Abhigyan Kundu and RS Ambrish. By the time Trivedi was dismissed for a hard-fought 68, he had successfully navigated India through their most vulnerable period.
The lower order then added crucial runs to ensure a competitive total. After reaching the 200-run mark in the 44th over, Kanishk Chouhan and Khilan Patel put on a mature 50-run partnership for the eighth wicket. This late surge pushed the score past 250, with India eventually being bowled out for 252 in the final over.
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Pakistan's batting collapse
In response, Pakistan's openers attempted an aggressive start, but their momentum was quickly disrupted. Henil Patel provided India's first breakthrough by trapping Sameer Minhas—who had famously scored a century against India in the U19 Asia Cup final—leg before wicket for 23. While Usman Khan and Hamza Zahoor tried to rebuild with a 65-run partnership, India's spinners maintained a tight line to control the run rate. The stand finally ended in unusual fashion when a ball from Kanishk Chouhan deflected off Hamza’s pads and rolled onto the stumps, giving India a fortunate but pivotal wicket.
After a solid start reaching 88/2 in the 17th over, Pakistan’s pursuit of a semi-final berth quickly lost steam. Faced with a disciplined Indian bowling attack, the Pakistani batters struggled to find boundaries or accelerate the scoring rate. By the critical 33.3-over mark—the deadline to surpass India on net run rate—they had stuttered to just 167/4, effectively ending their hopes of qualifying for the next round.
Although Usman Khan anchored the innings with a score of 66, his 92-ball knock lacked the urgency required for the steep chase. His departure in the 36th over, bowled by Ayush Mhatre, triggered a steady collapse as wickets fell at regular intervals. Pakistan was eventually bundled out for 194 in 46.2 overs, with Mhatre leading the bowling effort with figures of 3/21, supported by Khilan Patel’s 3/35.
With this victory, India remain undefeated in the tournament and advances as the table topper of Super Six Group 2. They are now set to face Group 1 runners-up Afghanistan for a spot in the final. The other semi-final matchup will feature England and Australia, rounding out a highly competitive final four.