Pakistan vs India Final Match 2025: Pakistan Clinches Victory on 21 December

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Pakistan U19 players celebrate a wicket as India U19 batters walk back during the Pakistan vs India final match 2025 in Dubai

Pakistan vs India Final Match 2025 wasn’t just another chapter in cricket’s biggest rivalry it was a full-blown statement. On 21 December 2025, Pakistan’s Under-19 side delivered a dominant, high-pressure performance to defeat India in the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup final at the ICC Academy Ground, Dubai, winning by a massive 191 runs.

If you only look at the scoreline Pakistan 347/8 and India 156 all out you might assume it was one-sided from the start. But the real story is more interesting: Pakistan arrived in the final with a clear plan, executed it with discipline, and used India’s aggression against them at exactly the right moments.

This wasn’t simply a “Pakistan batted well, India didn’t.” It was a modern youth ODI lesson in tempo control, pressure-building, and how one world-class innings can tilt an entire final.

Pakistan vs India Final Match 2025: Match snapshot

Here’s the match in a clean, easy-to-grasp snapshot:

Tournament: ACC Men’s Under-19 Asia Cup 2025
Final venue: ICC Academy Ground, Dubai
Date: 21 December 2025
Toss: India won the toss and chose to field
Pakistan U19: 347/8 (50 overs)
India U19: 156 all out (26.2 overs)
Result: Pakistan won by 191 runs
Player of the Match (and Series): Sameer Minhas

That margin–191 runs–puts this final into the “historic” category immediately, not only because of the rivalry, but because finals usually tighten nerves and reduce freedom. Pakistan did the opposite: they expanded the game and forced India to play at Pakistan’s pace.

The build-up: why this final carried extra weight

Pakistan vs India matches always come with noise. But this one had extra layers because India entered the final with confidence and a strong tournament run, and because Pakistan had something to settle.

India had already beaten Pakistan in the group stage

In the group stage, India defeated Pakistan by 90 runs, a result that shaped the narrative heading into the final. India were also described as the only unbeaten side before the title match.

So the final wasn’t just “Pakistan vs India.” It was also:

A rematch
A pressure test
A chance for Pakistan to prove they could adapt

Pakistan’s road to the final was built on bowling

Pakistan’s semi-final against Bangladesh showed the pattern that would define the final: disciplined bowling, early wickets, and then calm chasing.

In that semi-final (reduced to 27 overs per side), Pakistan dismissed Bangladesh for 121, with Abdul Subhan taking 4/20, and then chased it comfortably.

That game mattered because it showed Pakistan weren’t relying on one batter or one spell they were winning as a unit.

Pakistan U19 batter plays a lofted drive as India U19 bowler and wicketkeeper react during the Pakistan vs India final match 2025 in Dubai

First innings: how Pakistan built 347/8 without losing control

When India chose to bowl first, the logic was understandable: a final morning, potential early movement, and the idea that chasing can simplify the equation “we know the target.”

But Pakistan had two things India couldn’t fully plan for:

Sameer Minhas playing an all-timer
Pakistan’s ability to keep attacking without collapsing

Sameer Minhas 172: the innings that broke the final open

Sameer Minhas smashed 172 off 113 balls, with 17 fours and 9 sixes, striking at 152+ numbers that don’t just win matches, they intimidate opponents.

ESPN’s match report noted this knock was Pakistan’s highest individual score and also the highest by any batter in a final in Youth ODIs, underlining how rare this performance was on a big day.

This wasn’t mindless slogging. It was a structured assault:

He punished anything short or on the body
He forced bowlers off ideal lengths
He made field placements feel temporary because he kept finding gaps

The key support act: Ahmed Hussain and partnerships that mattered

Even the best innings needs support in ODI cricket, especially in finals.

Pakistan had that, primarily through Ahmed Hussain’s 56, and crucial partnerships:

92-run stand for the second wicket
137-run stand for the third wicket (Minhas + Hussain)

Those stands did two things:

prevented India from building momentum through wickets
gave Minhas the freedom to attack without feeling like he had to “save” the innings

The late slowdown didn’t change the story

Pakistan did lose wickets late, including a cluster after Minhas fell in the 43rd over. ESPN noted Pakistan scored only 71 in the last ten overs while losing five wickets.

In most matches, that could be a “missed opportunity.” In a final where you’ve already crossed 340, it’s still a mountain.

Second innings: India’s chase fast start, then a collapse

Chasing 348 in a youth final is always brutal. You can’t chase it slowly, and you can’t chase it recklessly. India tried to chase it fast and Pakistan were ready for that.

The explosive opening that briefly changed the mood

India started with intent. Vaibhav Suryavanshi played a rapid cameo, smashing boundaries and looking like he might produce something special.

But he fell for 26 off 10 balls, caught behind off Ali Raza, and that wicket was the trigger for everything that followed.

68/5: the powerplay collapse that ended the contest

One detail from ESPN’s report captures the match perfectly: India reached their fifty quickly, but then lost wickets in a heap 68/5 by the end of the powerplay.

That is the danger zone in any chase:

the required rate is still high
the field is up
panic makes batters play “hero shots”

From there, India weren’t chasing a target anymore they were trying to survive a storm.

Pakistan’s bowling: disciplined, relentless, and perfectly timed

Pakistan’s bowling wasn’t just “good.” It was final-winning smart:

Ali Raza: 4/42
Huzaifa Ahsan: 2/12
Abdul Subhan: 2 wickets (as per match commentary data)

And the key point: Pakistan kept taking wickets without giving India the “two quiet overs” every chasing side craves to reset.

Deepesh Devendran’s cameo: the last spark

India’s No.10 Deepesh Devendran struck 36 off 16 balls, with multiple boundaries, offering late resistance.

But when your No.10 is top-scoring, it’s not a comeback story it’s a sign the top order never got a stable platform.

India were bowled out for 156 in 26.2 overs, and the final ended as a rout.

Pakistan U19 players celebrate in a team huddle with the trophy podium visible as India U19 stands in the background after the Pakistan vs India final match 2025 in Dubai

Score summary: the numbers that defined the final

Pakistan U19 – 347/8 (50 overs)

Sameer Minhas – 172 (113)
Ahmed Hussain – 56
Deepesh Devendran – 3/83

India U19 – 156 all out (26.2 overs)

Deepesh Devendran – 36 (16)
Vaibhav Suryavanshi – 26 (10)
Ali Raza – 4/42
Huzaifa Ahsan – 2/12

Turning points: where Pakistan truly won it

1) India’s toss decision didn’t pay off

India chose to field, hoping early pressure would restrict Pakistan. Instead, Pakistan posted the highest total of the match by far and flipped pressure back onto the chasing side immediately.

2) Sameer Minhas crossed 100 in a final and didn’t slow down

A century in a final is a big deal. A century at that strike rate is match-warping. His acceleration removed India’s ability to “manage” the innings.

3) Ali Raza removing Suryavanshi early

India’s chase was built on a fast start. Once Suryavanshi fell, Pakistan squeezed hard and India’s shot selection became increasingly desperate.

4) The powerplay collapse (68/5)

At that point, the match was no longer balanced Pakistan were simply closing the door.

What Pakistan did better: a simple, repeatable blueprint

One reason this win feels so complete is that Pakistan were better in every phase.

With the bat: Pakistan played “percentage aggression”

Pakistan attacked but they didn’t gamble their whole innings on it. The partnerships ensured wickets didn’t fall in bunches until the end overs, when the platform was already huge.

With the ball: Pakistan forced India to keep swinging

A 348 chase is psychological torture. Pakistan kept wickets falling so India never got the luxury of building a calm 70-run partnership.

In mindset: Pakistan played like the team with clarity

Cricbuzz captured the post-match mood in short comments:

Pakistan captain Farhan Yousaf highlighted collective execution and morale after the earlier loss.
India captain Ayush Mhatre called it an “off day” and pointed to inconsistency and fielding lapses.
Sameer Minhas emphasized playing his natural game and scoring for the team.

Even without quoting long lines, you can feel it: Pakistan’s message was “process,” India’s message was “it happens.”

The bigger meaning: what this win says about Pakistan’s U19 pipeline

This title matters beyond the rivalry.

Pakistan’s second U19 Asia Cup crown

According to the Under-19 Men’s Asia Cup results list, Pakistan are listed as champions (2nd title), with the 2025 final specifically recorded as Pakistan 347/8 defeating India 156 (26.2).

Momentum ahead of the U19 World Cup cycle

Pakistan’s final performance wasn’t a “lucky day.” It looked like a team peaking at the right time exactly what you want before a global tournament window. ESPN also framed the win as a strong tune-up for the upcoming U19 World Cup.

A reminder: youth cricket is about handling moments

India looked stronger on paper in parts of the tournament. Pakistan looked sharper in the final moment that mattered most.

That’s the real takeaway for fans, coaches, and scouts:

Big matches reward clarity and composure
“Talent” is never enough without execution
One innings can reshape a final, but only if the rest of the team holds the rope