Aaryavir Sehwag smashed 160 off 168 balls and Ishan Sood took four wickets as India Under-19 beat the United Arab Emirates by 70 runs in Al Amerat on Tuesday to book their place in the semi-finals of the U19 Asia Cup.
Asked to bat first, India posted 309 for seven in their 50 overs, the highest total of the tournament so far, and then bowled the UAE out for 239 to complete a comfortable win in their final group game. Sehwag, the son of former India opener Virender Sehwag, was named player of the match for the biggest innings of the tournament so far.
Sehwag took 14 balls to get off the mark on a turning wicket, but once set he did not look back. He reached his first century of the tournament off 131 balls, then cut loose, smashing 60 off his last 37 deliveries with 17 fours and seven sixes in all. He went berserk in the 37th over, hitting two sixes and two fours, and brought up his 150 with another six. His 193-run stand with VK Vineeth, who made 67 off 69 balls with three fours and three sixes, carried India to 255 for one after 44.1 overs. The innings lost momentum at the death, with six wickets falling for 54 runs, but Mohit Ulva finished it with a six as India reached 309. Naseem Khan took four for 48 for the UAE.
The UAE chase never truly got going despite a fighting 74 off 74 balls from Ahmed Khudadad and 39 off 25 from Noorullah Ayobi. Sood led India’s bowling with four for 37 in seven overs, striking twice in the final over to bowl the UAE out for 239. Aryan Savsani chipped in with one for 21 as India’s bowlers shared the wickets around.
Sehwag revealed after the game that he had promised his father a big hundred before the match, and that he was determined to bat for around 40 overs despite the challenges of the surface. He said he did not allow the dot balls to affect his approach, and the innings was built on that patience before the late acceleration. It was his third significant score of the tournament, after an unbeaten 70 in his first match, and it carried India into the knockouts.
India finished second in Group A and will now face Afghanistan in the semi-final on Thursday, November 12, at Al Amerat. Afghanistan come into the game unbeaten from Group B, and the winner will play the final on Saturday, November 14.
Related:
- Aaryavir Sehwag Smashes 160 Off 168 as India Post 309 in Must-Win U19 Asia Cup Clash Against UAE — https://t20star.com/aaryavir-sehwag-smashes-160-off-168-as-india-post-309-in-must-win-u19-asia-cup-clash-against-uae/
- Rain Washes Out Final Day as India A and New Zealand A Share the Spoils and the Series Ends 0-0 — https://t20star.com/rain-washes-out-final-day-as-india-a-and-new-zealand-a-share-the-spoils-and-the-series-ends-0-0/
