# Pakistan Advances to U-19 Asia Cup Semi-Finals After Defeating Nepal Defending champions secure top group spot with a dominant 101-run victory in Muscat. - **Source:** [Dawn](https://www.dawn.com) - **Published:** 2026-11-10 - **Topic:** [sports](https://brifing.si/c/sports) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/c9645a69-8dc8-4b95-8847-f3e3de240d10 ## Dominant Group Stage Finish Defending champions Pakistan concluded their group stage campaign with a perfect record in the ACC Men’s U-19 Asia Cup 2026. By defeating Nepal by 101 runs at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Muscat on Tuesday, they secured the top position in Group A with three consecutive victories from three matches played. ## Batting Foundation and Recovery Pakistan posted a competitive total of 275-7 after initially struggling at 64-3. Ahmed Hussain and captain Farhan Yousaf stabilized the innings with a crucial 135-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Ahmed scored 89 off 73 balls, while Farhan contributed 74 runs off 95 balls to set a challenging target for Nepal. ## Late Order Contributions Following the departure of the set batsmen, Hasnain Abbas Dar provided necessary late-innings momentum for Pakistan. He scored a quick-fire 25 off 23 balls to push the final total to 275. This late surge ensured that Pakistan maintained a high run rate during the final overs of their allotted fifty-over innings. ## Nepal's Bowling Performance Bipin Sharma emerged as the standout performer for Nepal, successfully claiming three wickets for 58 runs during his spell. Despite his efforts to contain the Pakistani batting lineup, the rest of the bowling attack struggled to prevent the significant partnership that ultimately defined the match outcome in favor of the defending champions. ## All-Rounder Impact Ahmed Hussain delivered a standout all-round performance, complementing his 89-run innings with a lethal bowling spell. He claimed four wickets for 35 runs in his ten overs, effectively dismantling the Nepalese batting order. His contribution was instrumental in restricting Nepal to a total of 174 runs before they were bowled out. ## Nepal's Batting Struggles Chasing a target of 276, Nepal failed to build meaningful partnerships and were bowled out in 43.4 overs. Rohit Chand top-scored for the team with 37 runs, but the lack of support from the middle and lower order prevented a successful chase. Mohammad Huzaifa and Mohammad Sayyam each took two wickets. ## Upcoming Semi-Final Clash With this victory, Pakistan has officially qualified for the semi-finals of the tournament. They are scheduled to face Bangladesh in the first semi-final match this coming Thursday. The team enters this knockout stage as the clear group leader, carrying significant momentum from their unbeaten run throughout the initial tournament phase. ## Tournament Context and Stakes The ACC Men’s U-19 Asia Cup serves as a critical platform for emerging talent in international cricket. As defending champions, Pakistan faces increased pressure to maintain their title. Their performance against Nepal highlights a balanced squad capable of winning through both batting depth and disciplined bowling, setting the stage for high-stakes competition. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.dawn.com/news/2043568/pakistan-beat-nepal-to-set-up-u-19-asia-cup-semi-final-against-bangladesh — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._