SL loses; Pakistan-India clash for ACC Men’s Emerging Asia Cup

India A’s left-arm spinner Nishant Sindhu caused the Bangladesh  A collapse with five wickets.

Sahan Arachchige and Avishka Fernando figured in a century partnership  for Sri Lanka A.

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Arch rivals India A and Pakistan A will clash in the final of the ACC Men’s Emerging Asia Cup when they won their respective semi-final matches against Bangladesh A and Sri Lanka A yesterday. The final will take place on Sunday at the R Premadasa Stadium under lights.

Hosts Sri Lanka A bowed out when they lost to Pakistan A by 60 the first semi-final game played at the P Sara Oval. Winning the toss and batting first Pakistan A rattled off a challenging total of 322 to which the Lankan A batsmen failed to match being bowled out for 262 in the 46th over. All round batting contributions from Omair Yousuf (88 off 79 balls, 10 fours, 1 six), skipper Mohammad Haris (52 off 43 balls, 5 fours) and Mubasir Khan (42 off 45 balls, 2 fours, 2 sixes) saw Pakistan A to their total.

Sri Lanka A began their run chase disastrously losing their first three wickets for 33 inside the first power play. Avishka Fernando and Sahan Arachchige mounted a counter attack and figured in a partnership of 128 runs with each of them missing out on hundreds being dismissed for identical scores of 97. Fernando hit 12 fours and two sixes in his 85-ball innings and Arachchige 12 fours and one six in 109 balls. But once the partnership was broken Sri Lanka A lost wickets at regular intervals with seamer Arsha Iqbal causing the main damage with five for 37. In successive days Sri Lanka has lost to Pakistan twice. The senior team lost the first Test by four wickets on Thursday.

In the night game at R Premadasa Stadium Bangladesh A did well to dismiss India A for 211, but they were let down by their batsmen who failed to build on an opening stand of 70 and were bowled out for 160 handing India A a 51-run win. The chief architect of India A’s victory was left-arm spinner Nishant Sindhu who destroyed the Bangladesh A batting with figures of 5/20. India A skipper Yash Dhull top scored for his side with a solid 66 off 85 balls (6 fours).

RESULTS:

+At P Sara Oval: Pakistan A beat Sri Lanka A by 60 runs.

Pakistan A 322 (50) (Saim Ayub 22, Omair Yousuf 88, Tayyab Tahir 26, Mohammad Haris 52, Mubasir Khan 42, Mohammad Wasim 24, Lahiru Samarakoon 2/42, Pramod Madushan 2/56, Chamika Karunaratne 2/55)

Sri Lanka A 262 (45.4) (Avishka Fernando 97, Sahan Arachchige 97, Arshad Iqbal 5/37, Mubsir Khan 2/45, Sufiyan Muqeem 2/44)

+At R Premadasa Stadium: India A beat Bangladesh A by 51 runs.

India A 211 (49.1) (Sai Sudharsan 21, Abishek Sharma 34, Yash Dhull 66, Manav Suthar 21, Mahedi Hasan 2/39, Tanzim Hasan 2/38, Rakibul Hasan 2/36)

Bangladesh A 160 (34.2) (Mohammad Naim 38, Tanzid Hasan 51, Saif Hasan 22, Mahmudul Hasan Joy 20, Manav Suthar 3/32, Nishant Sindhu 5/20)

India A captain Yash Dhull scores runs on the offside on his way to a fifty.