'Iconic leader': Fans credit mentor Sarfaraz for Pakistan's U19 Asia Cup 2025 glory

DUBAI: Pakistan U19 men's cricket team's mentor Sarfaraz Ahmed received words of acknowledgement and appreciation from passionate cricket fans after the side crushed India by 191 runs to clinch the ACC Men's U19 Asia Cup 2025 title here at the ICC Academy on Sunday.

Put into bat first, the Green Shirts racked up a massive total of 347/8 on the board, courtesy of Sameer Minhas's monumental knock.

The right-handed opener top-scored with a blistering 172 off just 113 deliveries, studded with 17 fours and nine sixes, while Ahmed Hussain and Usman Khan chipped in with 56 and 35, respectively.

Chasing a daunting 348-run target, India's strong batting unit was dismantled by Pakistan pacers and was booked for a meagre 156 in 26.2 overs.

No.10 batter Deepesh Devendran remained their top-scorer with a 16-ball 36, followed by Suryavanshi with 26.

Ali Raza was the standout bowler for Pakistan, taking four wickets for 42 runs in his 6.2 overs, while Abdul Subhan, Mohammad Sayyam and Huzaifa Ahsan chipped in with two each.

The thumping victory in the title match sent Pakistan fans into jubilation, who lauded the players, who played significant roles in the team's glory, but also credited mentor Sarfaraz Ahmed, hailing him as an "iconic leader".

Several fans also highlighted his dominant record against India in tournament finals.

For the unversed, the wicketkeeper batter captained Pakistan to the ICC Men's U19 World Cup triumph in 2006 by defeating India in the final and also to the ICC Men's Champions Trophy in 2017 with a historic 180-run defeat in the summit clash against the arch rivals.

"Defeated India in the U19 World Cup final as captain in 2006. Defeated India in the Champions Trophy final as captain in 2017. Defeated India in the U19 Asia Cup final as mentor in 2025," a cricket fan, bearing the username Muzammal Shah, wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Meanwhile, several fans compared Pakistan U19 team's victory to that of the senior side in the Champions Trophy 2017 final against the same opposition, terming the recently concluded fixture as a "replica".

"This contest was much like a replica of the CT 2017 final, where [Pakistan] scored a mammoth total on the back of a daddy 100 by an opener & in reply [India was] blown away inside 30 overs, defeating them by a humongous 191 runs. Sarfaraz Ahmed, [you are special. A true] ambassador," a cricket fan with the username Musaib Mehraj wrote on X.

It is pertinent to mention that Sarfaraz Ahmed, who has represented Pakistan in 54 Tests, 117 ODIs and 61 T20Is, is often hailed as one of the most successful and smart captains to have ever represented the national men's team.

He led Pakistan to two ICC titles – the U19 World Cup and Champions Trophy – besides propelling them to the summit of the T20I rankings and 11 successive series victories in the shortest format.