New Delhi: The Indian boys put up a determined performance at Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) on Sunday to beat Pakistan by 58 runs and enter the ICC U-19 World Cup.
It was sweet revenge for the Indians, who had been mauled by 191 runs by their arch-rivals in the U-19 Asia Cup final in December.
India will face Afghanistan, while Australia will confront England in the semifinals.
With both teams having a chance to qualify for the last-four stage from Super Sixes Group B, India stuttered badly after 14-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi (30 off 22 balls) had provided a typically quick start. From 47 without loss in 7.4 overs, the boys in blue slumped to 47/3.
Skipper Ayush Mhatre fell for two-ball duck and Aaron George (16) perished at the same total.
It was mainly due to Vedant Tripathi’s steady 68 that India recovered on a challenging pitch for batters. Allrounder Kanishk Chohan contributed a crucial and RS Ambrish made 29 as India reached 252/8.
Pakistan not only needed to win but had to reach the target of 253 in 33.4 overs to pip India to the semifinal berth with a better net run-rate.
The asking rate of 7.5 overs to qualify for the knockouts proved beyond Pakistan’s capability. They reached 151/2 in the 30th over, but fell well below the required run rate.
Thereafter, they couldn’t even chase down the target in the full quota of overs and lost 8 wickets for 43 runs. Every Indian bowler did his job, with offie Mhatre (3/21) and left-arm spinner Khilan Patel (3/35) doing the maximum damage as Pakistan collapsed to 194 all out.
