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How Can India Qualify For U19 Asia Cup Semi-finals After Humiliating Defeat vs Pakistan?

Soumyajit Dutta

The India U19 team was defeated by Pakistan in their first matchup [Source: @BCCI/X.com]The India U19 team was defeated by Pakistan in their first matchup [Source: @BCCI/X.com]

As the U19 Asia Cup 2024 kicked off, the young Indian squad found themselves on the losing end of a tough match against Pakistan. The Pakistani bowlers really made their mark, showcasing their skills against some of India's promising talents.

Pakistan secured a 43-run win over India, posting a formidable 281, powered by Shahzaib Khan's stellar 159 off 147 balls and Usman Khan's solid 60. Indian bowlers Samarth Nagaraj and Ayush Mhatre claimed three and two wickets, respectively. 

However, India faltered in the chase, bowled out for 238 in 47.1 overs. Young talent Vaibhav Suryavanshi, recently signed by Rajasthan Royals, managed only 1 run before falling to Ali Raza. Pakistani bowlers, led by Ali Raza and Abdul Subhan, kept the Indian batters under check.

How Can India Still Qualify For The U-19 Asia Cup Semi-Finals?

Number of Matches Each Team Will Play

All teams are set to play three matches in a round-robin format, and India is grouped with Pakistan, Japan, and the host nation, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Group A. The top two teams from both Group A and Group B will progress to the semi-finals. 

How Can India Still Qualify For The Semi Finals?

  • India still has two matches to play against Japan and the UAE, and winning both, while keeping a strong net run rate, will solidify their chances of making it to the next stage.
  • The UAE leads the chart after their convincing victory over Japan in their opener. India, on the other hand, will be looking to capitalize on Japan’s poor form, as they were bowled out for just 52 runs while chasing a massive total of 325 set by the UAE. 
  • However, winning against both Japan and the UAE may not be enough for India to secure a top-two finish, especially since the UAE currently leads the group and Pakistan sits in second. At the moment, India has a net run rate of -0.860, while the UAE boasts an impressive +5.460. For India to ensure a spot in the semi-finals, they will need to claim victories by massive margins over the UAE on December 4th and Japan on December 2nd.