India knock out Pakistan to seal semi-final berth

The Indian cricket team confirmed its spot in the U19 World Cup 2026 semi-finals after beating Pakistan by 58 runs in their final Super Six match at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Sunday.

In what was a high-stakes India vs Pakistan contest, the Pakistan cricket team needed a handsome win in the match to derail India’s hopes of making the top four and grab the spot for themselves.

Put in to bat first, five-time champions India survived an early wobble to post a competitive total of 252 largely thanks to Vedant Trivedi’s fighting half-century.

Required to chase down the target in 33.3 overs to progress to the semi-finals and knock arch-rivals India out of the tournament, Pakistan’s challenge never materialised.

They could only manage 167/4 at the vital juncture before getting bowled out for 194.

India made a watchful start as openers Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Aaron George put on 47 for the first wicket.

Suryavanshi (30 off 22) was looking to accelerate when he edged one to the keeper off Mohammad Sayyam’s bowling in the eighth over. The 14-year-old was dropped in the deep and survived a run out chance in the previous ball.

The opening wicket triggered a mini collapse of sorts as Sayyam sent back Indian skipper Ayush Mhatre for a duck with the final delivery of the over. George also walked back in the very first ball of the ninth over after Abdul Subhan knocked over his stumps.

Suddenly reduced to 47/3 from 47/0, India needed stability and Vedant Trivedi provided exactly that.

Batting under pressure, the right-hander stitched together a vital 62-run partnership with Vihaan Malhotra to take India past the 100-mark.

Vedant completed his half-century in 74 balls and anchored India’s fightback. He was responsible for two more useful partnerships, first with Abhigyan Kundu and then with RS Ambrish, before Momin Qamar brought an end to the knock for 68.

Ambrish departed just as India reached the 200-run-mark in the 44th over. A mature 50-run stand for the eighth wicket between Kanishk Chouhan (35) and Khilan Patel (21) took India past 250 before eventually finishing at 252 in 49.5 overs.

Pakistani openers Sameer Minhas and Hamza Zahoor looked to come out swinging.

However, Henil Patel halted the stand for 23 as he trapped Minhas LBW in the fourth over.

Minhas’ century was responsible for subjecting India to a heavy defeat in the final of the U19 Asia Cup in December.

Usman Khan and Hamza then joined forces in the middle and kept the scoreboard ticking but the Indian bowlers, especially the spinners, did well to keep a lid on the scoring rate.

The two put 65 on the board together before Hamza survived a leg before appeal off Kanishk Chouhan but the ball had rolled onto the stumps, handing India an important breakthrough.

From 88/2 in the 17th over, Pakistan’s challenge for a semis slot never really gathered any momentum, as their batters failed to lift the scoring rate in face of some disciplined Indian bowling.

Starved for runs and leaking wickets periodically, they stuttered to 167/4 at the 33.3 over mark.

Usman Khan scored a tame 66 off 92 balls but failed to really make it count as he was castled by Mhatre in the 36th over. Pakistan kept losing wickets at regular intervals and eventually being bundled out for 194 in 46.2 overs.

Ayush Mhatre registered figures of 3/21 while Khilan Patel took 3/35.

The win means India, still undefeated in the tournament, advanced to the semi-finals as the Super Six Group 2 winners and will face Group 1 runners up Afghanistan on Wednesday for a place in the final.

England and Australia are the other two semi-finalists.

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