Bangladesh U19 Cricketers Exit at Semifinals, India-Pakistan to Face Off in Final

Bangladesh's youth cricketers showcased strong performances in the group stage and reached the semifinals, but their dream of defending the title ended there. A defeat against Pakistan in the semifinals forced the current champions to bow out of the U19 Asia Cup.
On Friday in Dubai, rain shortened the match to 27 overs. After losing the toss, Bangladesh’s batsmen struggled against the onslaught of Pakistani bowlers, being bowled out for just 121 runs in 26.3 overs.
The highest score for Bangladesh came from lower-order batsman Samiun Bashir, who contributed a fighting 33 runs. No other batsman could make a significant impact. Pakistani pacer Abdul Subhan wreaked havoc, claiming 4 wickets for just 20 runs, earning him the Player of the Match award.
Chasing the modest target of 122, Pakistani opener Samir Minhas played a destructive innings. Scoring 69 runs off 57 balls, including 2 sixes and 6 fours, he led the chase confidently. Pakistan reached the target in only 16.3 overs, losing just 2 wickets, securing their place in the U19 Asia Cup final for the fourth time.
In the other semifinal of the day, India defeated Sri Lanka by 8 wickets. Chasing 138 runs, India surpassed the target with 12 balls to spare. This sets up an exciting final on Sunday (21 December), where the arch-rivals India and Pakistan will go head-to-head for the championship.