U19 Asia Cup 2024: Pakistan U19 Qualify for Semifinal as Shahzaib Khan, Abdul Subhan star in win over UAE U19

Add as a preferred source on Google

Pakistan U19 stormed into the semifinals of the ACC Men's U19 Asia Cup 2024 with an emphatic 69-run victory over UAE U19 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Electing to bat first, Pakistan displayed a batting masterclass led by Shahzaib Khan and Riazullah Khan.

Shahzaib anchored the innings with a sublime 132 off 138 balls, his second consecutive century in the tournament, setting the tone for a mammoth total. His 183-run second-wicket stand with Riazullah was pivotal, with the latter smashing a blistering 106 off just 90 balls to propel Pakistan to 314/3 in 50 overs.

The UAE bowlers, despite their best efforts, found it hard to stem the run flow, particularly in the last 10 overs where Pakistan plundered 105 runs. Faham-ul-Haq's late cameo of 20 off 13 balls added the finishing touches to an already daunting total.

Chasing 315, UAE U19 faltered early, losing three wickets within the first 15 overs. In-form Aryan Saxena departed for 20, leaving Ethan D'Souza and Rayan Khan to steady the innings. The pair added a resilient 100-run stand, with D'Souza top-scoring with 84. However, the pressure of the chase mounted as Rayan fell for 50, and wickets tumbled in quick succession.

Abdul Subhan was the pick of the bowlers, delivering a match-winning performance with figures of 6/52. His relentless accuracy and timely breakthroughs, including the prized wickets of Saxena and D'Souza, derailed UAE's chase. Haroon Arshad also contributed with a stunning catch and economical spells that tightened Pakistan's grip on the game.

Despite spirited efforts from UAE's lower order, the target proved insurmountable as they finished at 245/8 in 50 overs. The win cements Pakistan U19's place in the semifinals as Group A toppers, with Sri Lanka U19 and Bangladesh U19 already qualifying from Group B.

UAE's hopes now hinge on their next clash against India U19 in a do-or-die encounter that will decide the group's second semifinalist. Meanwhile, Pakistan's consistent dominance highlights their potential to clinch the coveted U19 Asia Cup title. For now, their clinical performance sets a high benchmark for the competition.