Blow Before the Big Clash: Pakistan Suffer Major Setback Ahead of U-19 World Cup Match Against India

Pakistan’s Under-19 team has been dealt a significant blow on the eve of their high-voltage clash against India in the ICC Under-19 World Cup. Young wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shayan has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament after suffering a serious injury during practice.

The setback comes at a crucial moment, with Pakistan scheduled to face arch-rivals India on February 1 in the Super Six stage of the tournament. Shayan, 18, sustained the injury during a training session ahead of the match against New Zealand, when a fast bowler’s delivery struck him on the nose while he was wicketkeeping.

He was immediately taken to hospital, where medical examinations confirmed a fracture of the nose, forcing him out of the World Cup. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that a replacement will be announced soon.

Team Balance Remains Intact

Despite the injury, the PCB has indicated that the team’s balance is unlikely to be severely affected, as Hamza Zahoor remains the side’s primary wicketkeeper-batsman. As a result, Pakistan are not expected to rush into making changes to their playing combination for the marquee encounter against India or the later stages of the tournament.

Pakistan’s Journey So Far

Pakistan began their Under-19 World Cup campaign with a defeat against England but bounced back strongly thereafter. They registered convincing victories over Scotland (by six wickets), Zimbabwe (by eight wickets) and New Zealand (by eight wickets) to secure their place in the Super Six round.

Now, the biggest challenge awaits in the form of India, in what promises to be one of the most closely watched matches of the tournament.

India vs Pakistan: A Historic Rivalry

Since 1988, India and Pakistan have faced each other 10 times in Under-19 World Cup history. Pakistan dominated the rivalry in the early 2000s, winning four consecutive encounters between 2002 and 2010. However, India have held the upper hand in recent editions and have not lost to Pakistan in the Under-19 World Cup since 2010.

Indian victories in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2020 were powered by standout performances from players who later went on to become international stars, including Baba Aparajith, Sarfaraz Khan, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

As the two teams prepare for another intense chapter in their storied rivalry, Pakistan will hope to overcome the setback of Shayan’s injury and put up a strong fight against a confident Indian side.