India Storm Into U-19 ODI Asia Cup Final, Beat Sri Lanka In Semifinal By 7 Wickets And 170 Balls To Spare

India powered into the U-19 Asia Cup Final, crushing Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the semi-final and will Bangladesh in final.

Hyderabad: Vaibhav Suryavanshi's quickfire 67-run knock helped India beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets and with 170 balls to spare in the second semi-final clash of the ongoing Under 19 ODI Asia Cup 2024 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah on Friday, December 6, 2024.

The 13-year-old Suryavnashi, who became the youngest-ever player to be signed in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after being picked by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1.1 crore, fired on all cylinders, smacking 67 off 36 balls with the help of five sixes and six fours, striking at a whopping strike rate of 186.11.

Suryavanshi’s Asia Cup journey began on a quiet note, with scores of 1 and 23 against Pakistan and Japan in the group stages. However, he bounced back in style with an unbeaten 76 in the final group-stage match against UAE, a performance that carried over into his match-winning innings against Sri Lanka.

Earlier, India's bowlers restricted Sri Lanka to a low total, bundling them out for 173 in 47 overs. Chetan Sharma picked up 3 wickets, while Kiran Chormale and Ayush Mhatre took two wickets apiece.

Chasing 174, Suryavanshi displayed no mercy in dismantling Sri Lanka’s bowling attack, reaching his half-century in just 24 balls. His fearless intent was evident as India smashed 31 runs in the second over, setting the stage for an emphatic chase.

Contributions from opener Ayush Mhatre (34), captain Mohammed Amaan (26*), and KP Karthikeya (11*) sealed India’s spot in the final in just 23.2 overs.

India will now face defending champions Bangladesh in the final in the hope of clinching their ninth title.