Islamabad, December 22, 2025 — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday hosted a luncheon in honour of the Pakistan Under-19 cricket team after their historic triumph in the Under-19 Asia Cup 2025, praising the young squad for discipline, resilience and a commanding victory over India in the final.
The prime minister welcomed each player and congratulated the team, coaching staff and management, saying their exceptional performances had uplifted national pride and delighted millions of Pakistanis. He noted that the emphatic win against arch-rivals India carried special significance and reflected Pakistan’s rising strength in youth cricket.
“The manner in which you prepared, played and handled pressure shows maturity beyond your years. You have brought great honour to Pakistan and demonstrated that the future of our cricket is in safe hands,” PM Shehbaz said.
He singled out key performers, including Samir Manaz for his remarkable 172-run innings, Under-19 captain Farhan Yousuf Khan for his leadership, Ali Raza for decisive bowling spells, and Abdul Subhan for finishing the tournament with 13 wickets. The prime minister also appreciated the collective efforts of batters, bowlers, wicketkeepers, trainers and support staff.
Announcing incentives, PM Shehbaz declared a cash prize of Rs1 million for each player and Rs500,000 for every member of the sports staff. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to promoting grassroots sports and nurturing emerging talent, urging the players to stay focused in the coming years to earn spots in the national team.
Earlier, Interior Minister and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi commended the team’s composure and professionalism, especially during the final. He said the players showed maturity by ignoring provocations and keeping politics separate from cricket. “Our boys remained calm, played fearless cricket and were rewarded for their discipline,” he remarked.
Mohsin Naqvi also revealed that work had started on a state-of-the-art High Performance Centre in Lahore, replacing the outdated facility. He said the new centre would offer modern training resources to help young cricketers prepare for international challenges.
Representing the team, captain Farhan Yousuf Khan thanked the prime minister and the PCB for their continued support. He said structured training camps and strong management backing were crucial to their success and vowed to carry the winning momentum into the upcoming tri-series and the Under-19 World Cup.
Players credited focused technical training, mental conditioning and clear game plans for their strong performances, adding that recognition at the highest level had further motivated them to aim for greater success on the international stage.