Afghanistan, Bangladesh Reach U19 Asia Cup Semi-Finals
Afghanistan and Bangladesh reached the U19 Asia Cup semi-finals on Monday, after thumping wins over Sri Lanka and Malaysia in their final Group B matches in Oman.
Afghanistan beat Sri Lanka by 106 runs in Al Amerat to finish top of the group unbeaten, with three wins from three matches. Bangladesh beat Malaysia by 205 runs in the other Group B fixture to take the second semi-final place, while Sri Lanka finished third and were knocked out.
The semi-final line-up will be completed after the last Group A matches on Tuesday, with the semi-finals scheduled for November 12 and the final for November 14.
Ahsan Al Mumin’s 152 powers Bangladesh past Malaysia
Bangladesh batted first against Malaysia and piled up 303 for eight in their 50 overs, built on a monumental century from Ahsan Al Mumin. The middle-order batter walked in at No. 4 with the scoreboard reading 33 for two in the fifth over and single-handedly led his side to a formidable total.
Al Mumin finished unbeaten on 152 from 133 balls, with 10 fours and six sixes. He shared a 79-run stand for the seventh wicket with Robiul Hasan Anik, who made 45 from 48 balls. For Malaysia, Nagineswaran Sathnakumaran, Syahir Asyraf and Aulga Gunawan took two wickets each.
In reply, Tafiul Alam Tamim ran through Malaysia’s batting with seven for 18 in 7.5 overs, and Malaysia were bowled out for 98 in 30.5 overs. Rubay Islam Rizon took two wickets and All Rafi took one. The 205-run win lifted Bangladesh to second in the group and kept their campaign alive after an opening defeat to Afghanistan and a 45-run win over Sri Lanka.
Zakhail century leads Afghanistan to third straight win
Afghanistan’s win was built on a century from Subhan Zakhail. Put in to bat first against Sri Lanka, Afghanistan made 275 before being bowled out in 49.5 overs. Zakhail top-scored with 107 from 111 balls, with 13 fours and a six, while opener Abidullah Nadarjan made 55 from 64 balls. The pair shared a 71-run stand for the second wicket.
Sethmika Seneviratne was the pick of Sri Lanka’s bowlers with three for 44 in 9.5 overs. Chasing 276 in a must-win game, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 169 in 34.1 overs. Kithma Withanapathirana fought alone with 58 from 48 balls, with eight fours and two sixes, and Seneviratne was the next-best scorer with 23 from 34 balls.
Noor Ali Niazai led Afghanistan’s bowling with four for 35 in nine overs, while Amir Hamza, Sohail Khan and Mohammad Ali Barakzai took two wickets each. Niazai had also taken six wickets in the previous match against Malaysia, so he finished the group stage as one of the tournament’s standout bowlers.
U19 Asia Cup semi-finals: who plays whom
Afghanistan topped Group B with six points from three wins, and Bangladesh finished second with four points. Sri Lanka ended third, and Malaysia finished bottom after losing all three of their matches.
The semi-final pairings follow the usual format: the Group B winners face the Group A runners-up, and the Group A winners face the Group B runners-up. That means Afghanistan and Bangladesh must wait for Tuesday’s Group A results to learn their opponents.
The wait matters most to Pakistan. The defending champions are already on four points in Group A, after beating India in their group match, with Hamza Zahoor scoring a century, and they face Nepal in their last group game on Tuesday. India face the UAE in a must-win match the same day, so the final Group A order will only be settled then.
Pakistan’s young players have had a strong few days at home and abroad. Lahore Blues have just won the National U19 Championship title in Faisalabad, and the under-17 football side beat Sri Lanka 3-1 in the AFC qualifiers. The senior cricket side is also in action, after posting 281 for five on the first day of the Test against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi.
Frequently asked questions
Who reached the U19 Asia Cup semi-finals from Group B?
Afghanistan and Bangladesh qualified from Group B. Afghanistan won all three of their matches, and Bangladesh won two of three to finish second.
How did Bangladesh beat Malaysia?
Bangladesh made 303 for eight, with Ahsan Al Mumin scoring an unbeaten 152, and then bowled Malaysia out for 98. Tafiul Alam Tamim took seven wickets for 18 runs. Bangladesh won by 205 runs.
How did Afghanistan beat Sri Lanka?
Afghanistan made 275, with Subhan Zakhail scoring 107, and bowled Sri Lanka out for 169. Noor Ali Niazai took four wickets for 35 runs. Afghanistan won by 106 runs.
When are the U19 Asia Cup semi-finals?
The semi-finals are scheduled for November 12, and the final is set for November 14. The semi-final pairings will be decided after the last Group A matches on Tuesday, November 10.
Where does Pakistan stand in the U19 Asia Cup?
Defending champions Pakistan have four points in Group A and face Nepal in their last group match on Tuesday, November 10. India face the UAE the same day in a must-win game.
