LAHORE: Two-time ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup champions Pakistan will aim to end their 20-year title drought when they face 1998 champions England in their opening match in Harare on Friday. Pakistan’s other Group C matches are against Scotland (19 January) and Zimbabwe (22 January).

Pakistan last lifted the trophy in 2004, when Khalid Latif’s side won the event in Dhaka. Two years later, Sarfaraz Ahmed inspired Pakistan’s teenagers to a memorable 38-run win over India in Colombo, defending a paltry 109.

Sarfaraz went on to graduate to the national side and later captained Pakistan to the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 title – again against India at The Oval. He is now Pakistan U19’s manager and mentor.

Over the last couple of months, the Pakistan teenagers have responded positively to Sarfaraz’s calm, legendary, and strategic presence in the dressing room, producing convincing performances.

Farhan Yousuf’s side won four out of five matches on the way to clinching the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup, thumping India by 191 runs in the final. Pakistan then won the three-nation tournament in Harare last week, finishing with three wins from five matches (two no-results).

Pakistan’s opening World Cup warm-up match against Bangladesh was a no-result, with no play possible after Bangladesh reached 152 for seven in 36.3 overs. Pakistan then defeated the USA by 69 runs, with Sameer Minhas (74) and Ahmed Hussain (43 & 2-22) the stand-out performers.

When Sarfaraz Ahmed’s mentorship is combined with the side’s form since the Asia Cup, it would be no overstatement to term Pakistan as one of the title favourites, alongside India and Australia.

Since the opening tournament in 1988 in Australia, India has won the U19 World Cup five times – 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018 and 2022). Australia are the second most successful team with four titles – 1988, 2002, 2010 and 2024. England (1998), South Africa (2014), West Indies (2016) and Bangladesh (2020) are the other champions.

RECENT PLAYER PERFORMANCES

In the build-up to the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup 2026, Pakistan played in the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup and the three-nation series in Harare. The side maximised the match exposure with several standout individual performances.

In the Asia Cup in Dubai, Sameer Minhas topped the batting chart with 471 runs in five matches, including two centuries and a half-century. Ahmed Hussain followed with 268 runs (one century and two half-centuries), while Usman Khan scored 100 runs.

Among the bowlers, Abdul Subhan was the second most successful bowler with 13 runs in four matches, followed by Mohammad Sayyam (10 wickets) and Ali Raza (9 wickets). Ahmed Hussain followed up his 268 runs with three wickets at an economy rate of 4.35.

In the Harare event, Sameer Minhas again topped the batting table with 360 runs, including two centuries and a half-century. Usman Khan scored 260 runs, including a century, and also took four wickets. Farhan Yousuf and Huzaifa Ahsan scored 100 runs apiece.

With the ball, Umar Zaib took nine wickets to finish as the second most impressive bowler in the series. Ahmed Hussain followed up his 93 runs with four wickets.

EVENT FORMAT

The tournament features 16 teams divided into four groups. The top three teams from each group will advance to the Super Six stage.

The top three teams from Group A and Group D will combine to form one Super Six pool, while the top three teams from Group B and Group C will form the second pool.

Each side will carry forward the points, wins, and net run-rate earned against other Super Six qualifying teams.

If Pakistan tops Group C and progresses as C1, it will join the top three teams from Group B, along with two other Group C qualifiers. In the Super Six stage, Pakistan as C1 will only play D2 and D3.

If Pakistan progresses as C2, it will play D1 and D3 in the Super Six stage.

The top two sides from each Super Six pool will qualify for the 3 and 4 February in Bulawayo and Harare, respectively, with the final to be played in Harare on 6 February.

The four groups are:

Group A: Australia, Ireland, Japan, Sri Lanka

Group B: Bangladesh, India, New Zealand, USA

Group C: England, Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe

Group D: Afghanistan, South Africa, Tanzania, West Indies

PAKISTAN SQUAD

Farhan Yousaf (captain), Usman Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Subhan, Ahmed Hussain, Ali Hasan Baloch, Ali Raza, Daniyal Ali Khan, Hamza Zahoor (wicketkeeper), Huzaifa Ahsan, Momin Qamar, Mohammad Sayyam, Mohammad Shayan (wicketkeeper), Niqab Shafiq, Sameer Minhas and Umar Zaib.