India Under-19 stormed into the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup final with a commanding eight-wicket win over Afghanistan in the second semi-final at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman on Thursday, chasing down 228 with 79 balls to spare. Captain Lakshya Raichandani led from the front with a fluent 93 off 90 balls, and the win books India’s place in the final — and a chance to end a five-year wait for the title.
Afghanistan, who won the toss and chose to bat, were restricted to 227 for 8 in their 50 overs despite a promising platform. Noman Salarzai and Shah Faisal Rahimi both made 51 — Rahimi’s coming off 72 balls — and at 140 for 3 after 35 overs, Afghanistan looked set for a far bigger total. But India’s bowlers squeezed the scoring through the middle overs, and Afghanistan lost three wickets in seven deliveries late in the innings, two of them to Aryan Savsani in the same over, as a total that had looked like 260-plus was held to 227. Ishan Sood, India’s leading wicket-taker in the tournament, took 3 for 43, Savsani claimed 2 for 29, and captain Sohail Khan’s unbeaten 36 off 44 was the only late resistance of note.
The chase was never in doubt once Raichandani and Aaryavir Sehwag put on 117 for the first wicket. Sehwag, who had smashed 160 in the must-win group game against UAE, made 51 off 57 balls before falling shortly after his half-century. Raichandani, the 18-year-old from Uttarakhand, had managed only 53 not out, 0 and 17 in his three previous innings of the tournament, but he found his timing from the start, reaching his fifty off 39 balls and striking 13 fours and a six. He fell seven short of a hundred, caught off Sohail Khan at 194, but VK Vineeth finished the job in style, ending unbeaten on 57 and sealing the win with a six off Noor Ali Niazi in the 37th over.
The win was a measure of how far India have come in a week. Afghanistan had bowled out every opponent in the group stage, and their attack — led by Niazi, who had taken 19 wickets in his previous five matches — had looked the most dangerous in the tournament. India, beaten once in the group stage, instead made the chase look routine, with their top three all passing fifty.
India will now play the final at the same venue on Saturday, November 14, with the first ball at 10:30 AM IST. It is India’s 11th appearance in the final of the competition, and the side will be chasing a first title in five years.
Aaryavir Sehwag Smashes 160 Off 168 as India Post 309 in Must-Win U19 Asia Cup Clash Against UAE
Aaryavir Sehwag’s India U19 Face Unbeaten Afghanistan U19 in Asia Cup Semi-Final at Al Amerat
