The U19 Asia Cup 2025 came to an end after showcasing some extraordinary batting and bowling, but ultimately, the bowlers triumphed over the batters. Except for a handful of games that were dominated by batsmen, the bowlers managed to outshine them in most of the matches. Even in the final game between India and Pakistan, the bowlers were the most crucial factor in determining the outcome of the match.
Currently, when the majority of the analysts label cricket as a batsmen’s game, a few bowlers from the U19 Asia Cup 2025 gave a ray of hope through bowling perspective. Moreover, the tournament witnessed some bowling performances that hinted at the possibility of a competitive struggle between bat and ball in the near future.
In light of this, here is a rundown of the three bowlers from India and Pakistan who have the potential to get even better and eventually play for their national teams after their remarkable performances in the U19 Asia Cup 2025.
Deepesh Devendran: India’s brilliant slow-bowling newbie
Despite suffering a significant defeat in the finals and losing the championship, the young pace bowler Deepesh Devendran has been one of the major discoveries made by India during this tournament. The 17-year-old caster unveiled his talent with the ball through the course of the tournament.
Deepesh Devendran in U19 Asia Cup 2025
Criterion
Data
Innings 5
Overs 35
Wickets 14
Economy Rate 4.77
Strike Rate
15.00
BBI
5/22
4w/5w 0/1
He took 14 wickets in only five innings, which included a five-wicket haul (5/22), and had an economy rate of 4.77; at the same time, he kept the bowling strike rate at 15.00. Besides this, the medium pacer also became the tournament’s leading wicket-taker.
The BCCI should take this teenager under its wings for a couple of years and teach him the ways of managing pacer injuries. If the management does this, Deepesh can be a good candidate as India’s second-strike pacer or first-change bowler, especially in ODIs where he is most suited to white-ball cricket.
Abdul Subhan: The right-arm pacer Pakistan needs desperately
If the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) stops being ‘obsessed with PSL’ while selecting players for the national team, they will surely get some long-term options from the U19 team. Once upon a time, the Pakistan cricket scenario was such that players were selected for the national side based on their performance not only in the senior but also in U19 tournaments across all formats.
This policy had at least a couple of years of competitiveness for Pakistan at the international level. If the authorities go the same way, they will have young fast bowler Abdul Subhan as one of the main future prospects for their pace attack.
Subhan took the lead in Pakistan U19’s bowling unit with his outstanding performances throughout the tournament, which included his outstandingly economical display in the final match against India U19. He was the second highest wicket-taker in the tournament, also being the leading wicket taker for Pakistan.
Abdul Subhan in U19 Asia Cup 2025
Criterion
Data
Innings 4
Overs 31
Wickets 13
Economy Rate 3.93
Strike Rate 14.30
BBI 4/20
4w/5w 2/0
The 17-year-old took 13 wickets in only four innings, with an economy rate of 3.93, including two four-wicket hauls. In the final match against India, he took two wickets for a mere 29 runs in his eight-over spell, which included one maiden over.
Subhan, being a right-arm pacer, can be a very good candidate for Pakistan’s pace attack mainly due to the left-right combination. He can serve as the third pacer along with two left-armers, Shaheen Afridi and Salman Mirza, thus providing the required balance in the attack.
Mohammad Sayyam: A third gunman who can fortify PAK’s pace arsenal
One more teenage pace-bowling prodigy who surfaced as a major promise for Pakistan’s pace-bowling future, is Mohammad Sayyam. The Lower Dir-born player showed his talent through his performances to make him one of the key players for Pakistan U19 in the continental tournament.
Mohammad Sayyam in U19 Asia Cup 2025
Criterion Data
Innings 5
Overs 32
Wickets 10
Economy Rate 5.78
Strike Rate 19.20
BBI 3/27
4w/5w 0/0
He was able to take 10 wickets during the tournament across five innings he bowled, with an economy of 5.78 and the best bowling figures of 3/27 in an inning. Besides, Sayyam caught up with two important wickets of Aaron George and Vedant Trivedi who were already giving India U19 a tough time in their run-chase during the final.
Taking into account Pakistan’s fast bowling strategy in the SENA countries, he can take the position of the fourth pacer in the friendly ones. Besides, Sayyam was the second wicket-taker for Pakistan in the U19 Asia Cup 2025, where he also achieved the position of the third leading-wicket taker in the entire tournament.
