Sharjah/Dubai, Dec 4 (Agency) Indian U19 cricket team stormed into the semifinals of the U19 Asia Cup with a commanding 10-wicket victory over the United Arab Emirates, powered by scintillating knocks from openers Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Suryavanshi, here on Wednesday. Chasing a modest target of 138, Mhatre and Suryavanshi made the task look effortless, putting on an unbeaten opening stand of 143 in just 16.1 overs. Mhatre scored a composed 67 off 51 balls, while Suryavanshi unleashed a fiery 76* off 46 deliveries, punishing the UAE bowlers with a flurry of boundaries. Earlier, the Indian bowlers set up the win by skittling out UAE for a paltry 137 in 44 overs. Yudhajit Guha led the charge with 3 for 15, supported by Chetan Sharma (2 for 27) and Hardik Raj (2 for 28). The UAE batsmen found it tough to cope with India’s disciplined bowling, with only Muhammad Rayan (35) and Akshat Rai (26) showing some fight.
India’s dominant display, both with bat and ball, solidifies their position as tournament favourites as they head into the semifinals with momentum and confidence. With this win, India completed the league stage with two victories and will face Sri Lanka in the semifinals on Friday. In another Group A encounter, Pakistan registered a comprehensive 180-run victory over Japan to secure their spot in the semifinals.Batting first, Pakistan posted a challenging total of 243/6 in 50 overs, thanks to contributions from Shahzaib Khan (45) and Muhammad Riazullah, who remained unbeaten on 66. Ahmed Hussain added a quickfire 30* off 23 balls. For Japan, Nihar Parmar (2/18) and Kiefer Yamamoto-Lake (1/50) stood out with the ball.Japan’s chase faltered under Pakistan’s relentless bowling attack, as they were bundled out for just 63 runs in 28.3 overs. Mohammad Huzaifa delivered a match-winning performance, claiming 5 wickets for just 8 runs in 6.3 overs. His spell included the key dismissal of Nihar Parmar (25), Japan’s top scorer.With this win, Pakistan completed the league stage with three victories and will face Bangladesh in the semifinals on Friday. India’s and Pakistan’s dominant performances set up an exciting semifinal stage, with both teams showing why they are favourites in this tournament.