Shehbaz Sharif hails U-19 heroes! PM congratulates Pakistan on Asia Cup final win over India, lauds PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi’s vision
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the U-19 team for their victory against India in the Asian Cup final and praised the young players for their dominant performance. The Prime Minister also praised PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, crediting his vision for the team’s historic success.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has sparked a wave of national celebrations following the Pakistan Under-19 team’s historic victory in the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup 2025. Paying heartfelt tribute to the young players, the Prime Minister described their performance against long-time rivals India as “exciting”, marking a pivotal moment for the future of cricket in the country.
Shortly after the last wicket fell in Dubai, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, along with millions of jubilant fans across the country, expressed his excitement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
“An exciting performance from Team Pakistan. Shahbash. My sincerest congratulations to our Under-19 team for winning the ACC Under-19 Asian Cup 2025 and defeating India in the final.
The nation is proud of you. “My deep appreciation to PCB Chairman @MohsinnaqviC42 and his team for their dedicated efforts,” the Prime Minister wrote.
An exciting performance from Pakistan Team
Shahbas
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to our Under-19 team for winning the ACC U-19 Asia Cup 2025 and defeating India in the final.
The nation is proud of you.
I express my deep appreciation to Chairman PCB @MohsinnaqviC42 and for his team…— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) December 21, 2025
The importance of this victory was emphasized in the Prime Minister’s message, emphasizing that winning a high-stakes final against a tough opponent like India is an achievement that gives great pride to the country.
Apart from appreciating the players, Prime Minister Shehbaz also expressed his “deep appreciation” to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman and the country’s Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Naqvi, who was at the ICC Academy Ground to witness the victory, played a pivotal role in the recent transformation of Pakistan’s domestic and youth cricket infrastructure.
The Prime Minister thanked Naqvi and his team for their vision and unwavering commitment to grooming the next generation of Pakistan cricketers. Under Naqvi’s leadership, the U19 program has benefited from increased funding and professional scouting, resulting in impressive performances throughout this continental tournament.
The match itself was a showcase of aggressive cricket. Batting first, Pakistan set a daunting target of 347/8 thanks to Sameer Minhas’ remarkable innings of 172; this was the highest individual score ever achieved in a U19 Asian Cup final. Chasing 348, India struggled to withstand the pressure of the scoreboard and the fiery pace of Ali Raza, who disrupted the middle order with impressive figures of 4/42. Despite pre-match jitters and heated arguments involving Indian captain Ayush Mhatre, Pakistan kept their cool and defeated India by just 156 runs.
Also read| Under-19 Asia Cup Final: India receive runners-up medal from ICC official and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi as Pakistan joins celebrations
