India U-19 Advances to Asia Cup Final After Dominating Sri Lanka
India U-19 Secures Final Spot Against Pakistan
In a thrilling semi-final match, India U-19 showcased their prowess by defeating Sri Lanka by eight wickets, setting up a highly anticipated final against their long-time rivals, Pakistan. The match, affected by rain, was shortened to 20 overs per side.
The Indian bowlers continued their impressive form, limiting Sri Lanka to a total of 138 runs for 8 wickets in their allotted overs.
Vihaan Malhotra, the vice-captain, played a pivotal role with an unbeaten 61 runs off 45 balls, demonstrating his skill with powerful flicks and pulls, including two sixes and several boundaries. His partner, Aaron George, also shone with a solid 58 runs off 49 balls, helping India chase down the target in just 18 overs.
The duo formed an unbroken partnership of 114 runs for the third wicket, marking India's eighth appearance in the Asia Cup final.
In the other semi-final, Pakistan triumphed over Bangladesh by eight wickets, setting the stage for a clash with India after an 11-year hiatus.
The last encounter between India U-19 and Pakistan in the Asia Cup final was in 2014, where India emerged victorious with a team featuring notable players like Shreyas Iyer and Kuldeep Yadav.
India's chase began on a shaky note, losing IPL stars Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Suryavanshi early to pacer Rasith Nimsara. Mhatre struggled throughout the tournament and was dismissed after mis-timing a pull shot, while Suryavanshi fell to a leading edge.
However, Malhotra quickly turned the tide with a six off Nimsara, and George displayed his class with a stunning drive against off-spinner Kavija Gamage.
Sri Lanka fought back until the 13th over, where Malhotra's aggressive batting helped India gain momentum. The Indian bowlers, opting to field first, effectively reduced Sri Lanka to 28 for 3 in the initial overs, with skipper Vimath Dinsara and Chamika Heenatigala stabilizing the innings with a 45-run partnership.
Sethmika Seneviratne's quick-fire 30 runs off 22 balls helped Sri Lanka surpass the 135-run mark, while Kanishk Chauhan and Henil Patel each took two wickets for India.