The Under-19 World Cup is set to be played between January 15 and February 6. Here are five U19 Asia Cup star performers who can impress at the ICC event as well.
Pakistan beat India handsomely in the final of the 2025 U19 Asia Cup to lift the trophy. They lost just one game during the group stage – to India – but more than made up for it in the final.
Many young stars stepped for their respective sides in the ACC competition. Here are five who could light up the World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Deepesh Devendran (India)
5 matches, 14 wickets @ 11.92, BBI: 5-22, Econ: 4.77
The right-arm pacer put up consistent performances, one after the other, in the Asia Cup. He picked up at least a wicket in each of the five games, with his best coming against Malaysia, where he picked up a five-for. He was also India’s best player in a disappointing final, picking up three wickets while also scoring 36 runs, the most for his side.
Also read: India U19 quick runs through opposition with 5-19 in national Youth List A tournament
Abdul Subhan (Pakistan)
4 matches, 13 wickets @ 9.38, BBI: 4-20, Econ: 3.93
The Pakistan right-arm pacer could have finished as the top wicket-taker of the tournament had he played his side’s opening game against Malaysia, who were dismissed for just 48 in the match. Subhan took at least two wickets in each of the four games that he played, with his best of 4-20 coming against Bangladesh in the semifinal.
Sameer Minhas (Pakistan)
5 matches, 471 runs @ 157, HS: 177*, SR: 117.45, 100s: 2, 50s: 1
The player of the tournament, Minhas dominated the event right from the start until the final. He slammed a 177* in Pakistan’s tournament opener against Malaysia, and a 113-ball 172 against India in the final. He also hit a 69* against Bangladesh in the semifinal, with the only failure coming in the group game against India, where he was dismissed for 9.
Ahmed Hussain (Pakistan)
5 matches, 268 runs @ 67, HS: 132, SR: 89.03, 100s: 1, 50s: 2
3 wickets @ 24.66
The left-handed batter started the Asia Cup with a century against Malaysia and then hit a 65 against the UAE after a failure against India. But he brought out his best in the final, scoring a half-century as Minhas went about his business from the other end. Hussain also picked up three wickets with his leg spin.
Aaron George (India)
4 matches, 228 runs @ 76, HS: 85, SR: 104.10, 50s: 3
India’s No.3 at the Asia Cup, Aaron George was highly consistent in the tournament, but endured a rare failure in the final. In the lead-up to the decider, he registered scores of 69, 85 and 58* and made those runs at a quick pace as well. He will likely bat below the opening pair of Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre, which could allow him to express himself even more.
Image courtesy: Asian Cricket Council
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