Farhan’s 65 in vain as England beat Pakistan

U19 World Cup
England bowl out Pakistan for 173 in 46.3 overs after setting 211-run target
harare
Captain Farhan Yousaf’s resilient 65-run innings went in vain as England defeated Pakistan by 37 runs in their opening match of the ICC U19 World Cup 2026 at the Takashinga Sports Club, Harare, on Friday.
Chasing 211, Pakistan were bowled out for 173 in 46.3 overs as England produced an outstanding bowling performance to defend a modest total.
Earlier, Pakistan restricted England for a modest 210 after asking them to bat first.
England made a steady start as openers Ben Dawkins and Joseph Moores laid a solid foundation, scoring at a healthy rate.
However, the 33-run opening stand was broken when Ali Raza struck, dismissing Moores for seven off 16 deliveries.
England continued to score runs, but suffered another setback when Ahmed Hussain removed Dawkins, who played a sensible knock of 33 off 38 balls, including four fours and a six.
Hussain soon added another wicket to his tally by dismissing Ben Mayes for 20 off 25 deliveries, which featured three boundaries, leaving England reeling at 67-3 in 15.1 overs.
Skipper Thomas Rew and Caleb Falconer then attempted to steady the innings, but Abdul Subhan halted England’s momentum by dismissing Rew for 13 off 22 balls.
Falconer and Ralphie Albert combined to rebuild the innings, taking England past the 100-run mark.
Falconer regained his form by smashing two fours and two sixes off an over from Usman Khan, collecting 22 runs as England reached 125-4 in 24 overs.
The 19-year-old Falconer continued his impressive knock and, along with Albert, added a crucial 50-run partnership. He brought up a well-deserved second half-century in Youth ODI cricket, guiding his side beyond the 150-run mark.
However, the 80-run stand was broken when Ahmed Hussain claimed his third wicket, dismissing Albert for 25 off 37 deliveries, which included a four and a six, leaving England at 170-5 in 33.2 overs.
Pakistan then seized control of the innings as Ali Raza picked up his second wicket by removing the dangerous Falconer, who scored 66 off 73 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes.