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Young Shaheens’ Campaign Starts on a Sour Note: England Beat Pakistan by 37 Runs in U19 World Cup Opener
Well, that wasn’t the start we were hoping for, was it? Our young guns stumbled right out of the gates at the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Harare, losing to England by 37 runs on Friday. And honestly, it hurts a bit more because we know these boys have it in them.
England posted 210 runs in their innings, and Pakistan could only manage 173 in response, getting bowled out with still a few overs to spare. The batting lineup just never really got going, and that’s putting it mildly.
Bowlers Did Their Job, Batters Couldn’t Deliver
Credit where it’s due our bowling attack did exactly what we asked of them. Ahmed Hussain was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/38, while Abdul Subhan chipped in with 2/24 . They restricted England to what looked like a very chaseable total on paper. Honestly, 210 should’ve been within reach for these lads.
The problem? Our batting completely collapsed. Pakistan were staring at a massive defeat at 85 for 6  before skipper Farhan Yousaf decided to take matters into his own hands.
Captain’s Knock in Vain
Farhan Yousaf showed why he’s wearing the captain’s armband. The skipper top-scored with a fighting 65 off 86 balls, hitting 3 fours and 4 sixes . He tried his absolute best to drag us back into the game, building partnerships and playing with intent. But cricket’s a team game, boss, and he needed support from the other end.
Only Momin Qamar (18*), Huzaifa Ahsan (17), and Ahmed Hussain (12) managed to get into double figures. The rest? Ekdum disappointing, if we’re being honest.
That Brain Fade Moment
And then there was that run-out that had everyone shaking their heads. Ali Raza threw away his wicket in what can only be described as a complete brain fade moment, getting run out carelessly and bringing an end to Pakistan’s innings at 173. When you’re already struggling, you simply cannot afford these types of mistakes.
England’s Day to Remember
For England, Caleb Falconer was the star performer, scoring 66 runs off 73 balls  and earning himself the Player of the Match award. Their bowlers then did the rest, with James Minto picking up 2/23 to keep the pressure on our batters.
What Next?
Look, one match doesn’t define a tournament. We’ve seen Pakistan teams bounce back from worse situations. These young Shaheens had come into this World Cup on the back of winning the Asia Cup and a tri-series in Zimbabwe. They’ve got the talent, they’ve got the hunger they just need to find their rhythm.
Pakistan’s next match is against Scotland on January 19 at the same venue, followed by a clash with hosts Zimbabwe on January 22. Both are must-win games now if we want to progress smoothly to the Super Six stage.
The 2004 and 2006 champions need to regroup quickly. There’s still plenty of cricket left to play, and knowing Pakistani teams, we’re at our best when our backs are against the wall. Time for these youngsters to show what they’re really made of
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