The power of 19

Pakistan’s abject failure in Australia had left a vacuum in fans’ hearts, which the country's Under-19 side doing duty in the World Cup in nearby New Zealand stepped into with ease, writes Saad Shafqat in the Dawn.

On the eve of the India match, people were busy exchanging notes about the game and discussing prospects. Details of the TV coverage had spread like wildfire, and alarms had been duly set for 2:30 am. That the national team was meanwhile lurching from one disaster to another proved a great boon to the youth team.