PM Announces Rs10m Cash Award for Each Pakistan U-19 Asia Cup Winner

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced a cash award of Rs10 million for each player of the Pakistan Under-19 cricket team following their triumphant victory in the Asia Cup, saying the team’s outstanding performance won the hearts of 240 million Pakistanis and boosted national pride.

The prime minister, while hosting a special luncheon in honour of the winning squad, congratulated the players, coaching staff and team management. He also announced Rs2.5 million for each member of the management staff in recognition of their efforts.

“The way you trained, played and handled pressure shows maturity beyond your age. You have brought great honour to Pakistan and proved that our future in cricket is bright,” the prime minister said. He praised the team’s discipline, resilience and historic victory over India in the final, adding that the emphatic win carried special significance and symbolised Pakistan’s growing strength in youth cricket.

Shehbaz Sharif specially acknowledged standout performances during the Asia cup tournament, including Samir Manaz for his superb knock of 172 runs, Under-19 captain Farhan Yousuf Khan for his leadership, Ali Raza for his impactful wicket-taking spells, and Abdul Subhan for claiming 13 wickets. He also appreciated the collective contributions of all batters, bowlers, wicketkeepers, trainers and support staff.

The prime minister prayed for the team’s continued success and urged the young players to remain focused over the coming years to earn places in the national side.

Earlier, Interior Minister and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi highlighted the team’s composure and professionalism, particularly during the final. Referring to provocations during the match, he said the players showed remarkable patience and maturity by staying focused on cricket.

“We kept cricket and politics separate. Our boys did not react and remained committed to fair but fearless cricket. Allah rewarded their discipline with victory,” he said.

Mohsin Naqvi also announced that work had begun on establishing a state-of-the-art High Performance Centre in Lahore, noting that the existing facility had become outdated. He said the new centre would offer modern training resources and significantly benefit emerging cricketers, adding that a world-class facility would be inaugurated in the coming months.

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Speaking on behalf of the team, Under-19 captain Farhan Yousuf Khan thanked the prime minister and the Pakistan Cricket Board for their encouragement and support. He said structured training camps and strong backing from the management played a key role in the team’s success.

“Even after a loss, the management stood by us and boosted our confidence. We will carry this momentum into the upcoming tri-series and the World Cup,” he said.

Several players also shared their experiences, crediting the coaching staff for focused technical and mental conditioning over the past four to six months. They said work on bowling actions, consistency and game awareness helped them perform under pressure, while belief in the process and clear plans proved crucial to their success.