India Under-23 to face Pakistan in ACC Emerging Teams Cup final
India get the better of UAE by 46 runs while Pakistan win a thriller against Sri Lanka.
In a semifinal match on Friday, India under-23 beat the UAE national team by 46 runs to enter the final of the Asian Cricket Council Emerging Teams Cup in Singapore. India will play Pakistan under-23 in the summit clash, who beat Sri Lanka U-23 in the second semis.
Chasing 209 for a win at the Kallang Ground, UAE were all out for 162 in 48.3 overs, with 19-year-old Gujarat left-arm spinner Akshar Patel taking 4 for 29. Shaiman Anwar (44) and Swapnil Patel (41) kept the Indian bowlers at bay with a 89-run second-wicket stand, but that was not enough. Apart from Patel, 20-year-old Punjab pacer Sandeep Sharma (2 for 31) and Baba Aparajith (2 for 25) impressed with the ball.
Earlier, 22-year-old Gujarat and Delhi Daredevils batsman Manprit Juneja struck 76 and opener Lokesh Rahul hit 43 as India under-23 were all out for 208 in 49.5 overs. Karachi-born off-break bowler Nasir Aziz was the wrecker-in-chief for UAE with 5 for 51 in 9.5 overs.
In the second semi-final played at The Padang, Pakistan scored a nerve-wracking one-wicket win over Sri Lanka. All-rounder Hammad Azam scored an unbeaten 66 and spinner Usman Qadir, son of former leg-spinning great Abdul Qadir, took 5 for 31 for the Pakistan under-23s. Chasing Sri Lanka's 230/7, the Pakistanis reached the target with seven balls to spare.
The final will be played on Sunday.