DUBAI: Pakistan Under-19 batter Sameer Minhas announced his arrival on the international youth stage in emphatic fashion, rewriting record books with a sensational unbeaten century against Malaysia in the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2025 at The Sevens Stadium on Friday.
Playing his first-ever Youth One-Day International, Minhas delivered a once-in-a-generation performance, smashing an extraordinary 177 not out from 148 deliveries. His innings was a masterclass in composure and controlled aggression, featuring 19 boundaries and eight towering sixes, and laid the foundation for Pakistan’s commanding total.
Pakistan’s innings got off to an unsteady start when opener Usman Khan was dismissed for just one run in the second over, leaving the scoreboard reading a modest four. Ali Hassan Baloch attempted to stabilize the innings but departed soon after, scoring 14, as Pakistan slipped to 30 for 2 inside 10 overs.
From that precarious position, Sameer Minhas took charge. He found solid support in Ahmed Hussain, and the pair stitched together a breathtaking partnership that completely changed the complexion of the match. Their 293-run stand not only rescued Pakistan but propelled them into a dominant position.
Minhas displayed remarkable maturity for his age, rotating the strike effectively before accelerating with authority during the latter stages. Ahmed Hussain complemented him brilliantly, scoring a fluent 132 off 144 balls, including eight fours and two sixes. Ahmed’s innings came to an end in the penultimate over when he was dismissed hit-wicket, but by then, the damage had already been done.
Powered by this monumental partnership, Pakistan posted a daunting 345 runs in their allotted 50 overs, a total that proved far beyond Malaysia’s reach.
Sameer Minhas’ historic knock etched his name into the record books. He became Pakistan’s highest individual scorer in Youth ODIs and also registered the highest individual score in U19 Asia Cup history, surpassing several notable innings from previous editions of the tournament.
Highest Individual Scores in U19 Asia Cup
- Sameer Minhas – 177* vs Malaysia (2025)
- Shahzaib Khan – 159 vs India (2024)
- Shamyl Hussain – 150 vs Sri Lanka (2023)
- Abdul Razzaq – 142 vs Australia (1997)
- Shahid Yousuf – 136* vs Sri Lanka (2003)
In response, Malaysia’s Under-19 side crumbled under pressure and was bowled out for a mere 48 runs in 19.4 overs, marking a one-sided finish to the contest.
Pakistan’s bowlers were ruthless and disciplined. Ali Raza and Mohammad Sayyam led the attack with three wickets each, while Daniyal Ali Khan picked up two scalps. Niqab Shafiq also chipped in with a wicket to complete the rout.
None of the Malaysian batters managed to reach double figures, with captain Patro and Akram jointly top-scoring with just nine runs apiece.
The emphatic victory, powered by Sameer Minhas’ record-breaking innings, firmly established Pakistan as a strong contender in the U19 Asia Cup 2025 and signaled the emergence of a potential future star.
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