Afghanistan A will face Sri Lanka A in the final of the Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 after defeating India A by 20 runs in the second semi-final held in Al Amerat.
Batting first, Afghanistan set a challenging target of 207 runs, finishing their innings at 206-4 in 20 overs. Openers Sediqullah Atal and Zubaid Akbari provided a strong start, putting together a 137-run partnership in just 14 overs. Atal scored 74 runs off 52 balls, while Akbari contributed 64 runs from 41 deliveries. Karim Janat added to the total with a quickfire 41 runs off 20 balls before falling on the second last ball of the innings. For India, Rasikh Salam was the standout bowler, taking three wickets, while Aaqib Khan claimed one.
Also Read: Sri Lanka ‘A’ Dominates Pakistan Shaheens to Reach Emerging Teams Asia Cup Final
In reply, India struggled to chase down the target, finishing at 186-7. They lost their first two openers early, with Abhishek Sharma scoring just 7 runs and Prabhsimran Singh managing 19 runs. Ramandeep Singh played a commendable innings, scoring 64 runs off 34 balls, but it wasn’t enough to secure victory. Afghanistan’s bowling attack was led by AM Ghazanfar and Abdul Rahman, who both took two wickets, while Sharafuddin Ashraf added one.
Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka A secured their place in the final by defeating Pakistan Shaheens, thanks to a stellar performance by Dushan Hemantha, who took four wickets, and Ahan Wickramasinghe, who anchored the innings with a half-century. Pakistan Shaheens batted first, managing only 135 runs for 9 wickets in their 20 overs. Chasing 136, Sri Lanka A reached their target comfortably in the 17th over, driven by a strong second-wicket partnership between Wickramasinghe and Lahiru Udara.
The final between Afghanistan A and Sri Lanka A promises to be an exciting encounter as both teams look to claim the title.
