KEY POINTS
- Abdul Subhan’s four-wicket haul dismantled the UAE chase after Ayaan Misbah’s 77.
- In another match, India crushed Malaysia by a record 315 runs.
- The semi-final pairings will be set after the final group match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
DUBAI: A superb all-round performance powered the Pakistan U19 team into the semi-finals of the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2025 with a convincing 70-run victory over a spirited United Arab Emirates (UAE) side at the ICC Academy here on Tuesday.
Pakistan, having set a competitive target, joins India as the qualifiers from Group A. The win confirms the final four, with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh having already secured their spots from the other group.
Asked to bat first, Pakistan posted 241 in their 50 overs, built on the back of a crucial anchoring half-century from Ahmed Hussain. His 65 off 91 balls steadied the innings after early wickets, with valuable contributions from Sameer Minhas (44) and Hamza Zahoor (42).
The UAE’s chase of 242 began promisingly, fuelled by a fluent 77 from opener Ayaan Misbah. However, his run out in the 24th over triggered a collapse. The chief destroyer was seamer Abdul Subhan, whose fiery spell dismantled the middle and lower order. His figures of 4/31 in 7.5 overs were instrumental in bundling out the hosts for 171 in 37.5 overs, sealing Pakistan’s dominant win.
India U19 Crush Malaysia by 315 Runs Behind Kundu’s Record Double-Century
Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batter Abhigyan Kundu smashed a breathtaking, unbeaten double-century to lead India to a dominant 315-run victory over Malaysia in a Group A match of the Under-19 Asia Cup on Tuesday.
Kundu entered at No. 5 and launched a brutal assault, scoring 209 not out from just 125 deliveries. His innings, featuring a 209-run partnership with Vedant Trivedi (90), powered India to a mammoth total of 408 for 7. Vaibhav Suryavanshi provided early fireworks with a 26-ball fifty, while Malaysia’s Muhammad Akram managed to claim five wickets.
In response, Malaysia’s batting collapsed entirely, bowled out for a mere 93 in 26.4 overs. Medium pacer Deepesh Devendran was unplayable, dismantling the lineup with figures of 5 for 22.
Despite the magnitude of his achievement, Kundu’s double-century will not enter the official youth ODI record books, as the match did not carry official status. The win secures India’s place at the top of Group A.
With the group stage concluded, the focus now shifts to the semi-final matchups, which will be decided after Wednesday’s final group game between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
