India, Dec. 21 -- Sameer Minhas walked into the 2025 U19 Asia Cup final with the usual big match, big nerves warning label attached. However, as he took guard and started playing his strokes, he looked like a confident young batter making a mess of the Indian bowlers.

He scored a brilliant century and then went on to record the highest ever individual score in an ACC Men's U19 Asia Cup final. Against India U19 at the ICC Academy Ground, Dubai, the Pakistan batter crossed the previous benchmark, Sami Aslam's 134 in the 2012 final, the moment he moved beyond it, making his knock instantly historic.

What made Minhas' knock special was how he approached this knock on the big day. Finals in youth cricket could be chaotic, but Minhas, though,...