DUBAI: Pakistan Under-19 captain Farhan Yousaf has set his sights on World Cup success after leading his team to victory over India in the 2025 Asia Cup final, underlining the team’s growing confidence on the international stage.
“Our next goal is simple,” Yousaf said in an interview with Geographic news after the victory. “We want to be world champions.”
Yousaf said the team remained composed despite losing the toss, adding that asking him to bat first proved decisive in a batting-friendly pitch.
“We were disappointed to lose the toss, but once they put us in to bat, we were happy because the wicket looked good,” he said. “We stuck to the plan we had discussed and executed it well.”
Pakistan posted a formidable total of 347 runs, a score that allowed the captain to demand an aggressive approach from his bowlers.
“After we got that total, I told the bowlers to think as if they were defending 250 and attack from the beginning,” he said. “They kept that mentality, took wickets and applied pressure.”
The final was played in front of a packed crowd that included Pakistani and Indian supporters, adding to the intensity of the occasion.
“Playing such an important match with fans from both countries in the stadium made it even more enjoyable,” Yousaf said.
With the Asia Cup secured, Pakistan’s U-19 team will next compete in a tri-nation series in Zimbabwe before turning their attention to the U-19 World Cup.
Born in Kasur, Punjab, on December 15, 2006, Yousaf is a right-handed middle-order batsman and one of Pakistan’s emerging leaders, now firmly focused on translating continental success into global titles.
