Bangladesh will face Pakistan in the semi-finals of the Under-19 Asia Cup after the line-up for the last four was officially finalised. The Junior Tigers sealed their semi-final berth following a commanding 205-run victory over Malaysia in their final group fixture. Meanwhile, Pakistan confirmed their spot at the top of Group A on Tuesday with a decisive 101-run win against Nepal at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman, setting up an intriguing high-stakes clash against Bangladesh.
The semi-final encounter between Bangladesh and Pakistan is scheduled to take place the day after tomorrow at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground, commencing at 11:00 am Bangladesh Standard Time. Simultaneously, the second semi-final will feature India taking on Afghanistan at the very same venue and time, promising an action-packed day of youth cricket as all four subcontinental teams vie for a place in the coveted tournament final.
Bangladesh qualified for the knockout stage as the runners-up of Group B, collecting four points from their three group matches with two victories and a single defeat. Group B was topped by an impressive Afghanistan side, who maintained an undefeated record by winning all three of their group stage encounters to secure six maximum points and advance to the semi-finals as group champions.
Pakistan demonstrated remarkable consistency throughout their Group A campaign, finishing at the summit of the standings with a full six points from three consecutive victories. In their final group match against Nepal, Pakistan posted a formidable total of 275 for seven after opting to bat first. In response, Nepal struggled against Pakistan’s disciplined bowling attack and were eventually bowled out for 174 runs in 43.4 overs. Elsewhere in Group A, India secured the remaining semi-final slot as group runners-up with four points, having defeated the United Arab Emirates by 70 runs in their concluding group fixture.
