U-19 Asia Cup | India advances to semi-final after thrashing Pakistan in league encounter
India U-19 cricket team pulled off their second win in a row by defeating arch-rivals Pakistan to secure their qualification for the knockout rounds of the Asia Cup. Opting to bat first, India put up a daunting total which proved to be too much for their opponents, culminating in a comfortable win.
Having earned a convincing win against Kuwait U-19 in their Asia Cup opener a couple of days back, the Indian U-19 cricket team carried their momentum to Moratuwa on Saturday as they registered an easy win against neighbours Pakistan.
Winning the toss and choosing to bat, India lost their first wicket early as Suved Parker was caught with his leg in front of the wicket for a meekly score of three in the eighth over. However, once Tilak Varma walked on to the pitch to give company to opener Arjun Azad, Pakistan could see the game going away from its grasp as the two put on a splendid partnership of 183 runs for the second wicket.
Azad, who had led India to victory in the first game with his unbeaten 60, put up a fine display of batting to race to a blazing century that came at more than run-a -ball. His 121 runs were scored in just 111 balls and were laced with 11 boundaries and four sixes. It was only when Aamir Ali sent his stump flying in the 38th over that the Green Army seemed to have earned a chance to claw its way back, with the scoreboard reading 221/2.
Varma remained steady at the other end and he too reached the milestone soon, even though wickets kept falling at the other end. He finally fell victim to Mohammad Aamir in the 47th over having scored 110 runs from 119 balls, but the job by then as already done. Quick cameos from Shashvat Rawat and Atharva Ankolekar led India to set a target of 306.
Pakistan never really got into the groove as Vidyadhar Patil’s fiery opening spell saw him have both the openers caught behind in quick succession. Sushant Mishra added to the misery by sending Fahad Munir back to the pavilion, leaving Pakistan reeling at 53/3. A 120-run partnership for the fourth wicket seemed to reignite some hope, but Ankolekar struck at just the right time to get Haris Khan’s scalp who narrowly missed out on a half-century.
The collapse was triggered yet again and even though Rohail Nazir hit a brilliant 117 off just 108 balls, no one could provide him enough support from the other end to take his team home. They ended up all-out for 245 with 20 balls to go, handing India a 60-run win that sent them level on points with Afghanistan at the top of the group.