Afghanistan A Triumphs Over India A, Reaches Emerging Teams Asia Cup T20 Final

In a thrilling encounter at the Emerging Teams Asia Cup T20 tournament, Afghanistan A emerged victorious over India A by 20 runs, securing their place in the summit clash against Sri Lanka A.

Afghanistan A's openers, Sediqullah Atal and Zubaid Akbari, set the tone for their team's dominant performance. Atal smashed 83 runs off 52 balls, including four sixes and seven boundaries, while Akbari contributed 64 runs off 41 balls, hitting four sixes and five fours. Their 137-run opening partnership laid the foundation for Afghanistan A's impressive total of 206/4.

In response, India A struggled to gain momentum, losing three wickets within the powerplay. Abhishek Sharma, Prabhsimran Singh, and Tilak Varma were dismissed cheaply, leaving India A reeling at 48/3. Ayush Badoni and Nehal Wadhera attempted to steady the innings, but Afghanistan A's bowlers kept the pressure on.

Ramandeep Singh emerged as a beacon of hope for India A, scoring a valiant half-century. He forged a 68-run partnership with Nishant Sindhu in just 31 balls, giving India A a glimmer of hope. However, Nishant's unfortunate run-out in the 16th over proved to be a turning point.

With India A needing 53 runs from the last three overs, the momentum shifted decisively in Afghanistan A's favor. Abdul Rahman held his nerve in the final over, dismissing Ramandeep on the last delivery and restricting India A to 186/7.

In the other semifinal, Sri Lanka A displayed their bowling prowess, restricting Pakistan Shaheens to a modest 135/9. Leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha was the star performer, claiming 4/21, while Nipun Ranskika and Eshan Malinga chipped in with two wickets each. Sri Lanka A chased down the target in 16.3 overs, setting up a tantalizing final against Afghanistan A.

Tags: #EmergingTeamsAsiaCupT20, #AfghanistanA, #IndiaA, #RamandeepSingh, #SediqullahAtal