Lahore: Pakistan's opening batter Sameer Minhas has set his sights on leading his team to victory at the ICC Men's Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2026, with matches scheduled in Zimbabwe and Namibia. Minhas, who has been in exceptional form, is not only focused on team success but also on personal accolades in the tournament.
"Our simple plan is to win the World Cup. Personally, my first goal is to win it for Pakistan. The second is to become player of the tournament," Minhas stated, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board.
The 19-year-old has been a standout performer for the Pakistan U19 team, highlighted by scoring three centuries in the past month. His record-breaking innings of 172 against India in the U19 Asia Cup final, which Pakistan won by a significant margin, captured widespread attention.
"It was an incredible feeling. Representing Pakistan and making a mark like that is something special," Minhas remarked.
The century not only put him in the spotlight but also saw him breaking records, including becoming the fastest to reach a century in Men's Youth ODIs and achieving the highest individual score by a Pakistani at the U19 level.
With the U19 Asia Cup victory and a tri-series win in Zimbabwe, Pakistan has demonstrated its strength ahead of the World Cup. Minhas attributes their recent success to strong team unity.
"Our bonding is very strong. That unity helped us win titles," he said.
Pakistan is pursuing its third Men's U-19 World Cup title, having previously won in 2004 and 2006. Minhas, inspired by the aggressive playing style of South African legend AB de Villiers, is poised to be a key player in the upcoming tournament.
Under the leadership of Farhan Yousaf, Pakistan will begin their World Cup campaign against England on January 16.