India under-23 banged the UAE national team by 46 runs in a semifinal match on Friday to crash into the final of the Asian Cricket Council Emerging Teams Cup in Singapore. Subsequently, India will encounter Pakistan under-23 in the summit clash, who thrashed Sri Lanka U-23 in the second semis.
In fact, UAE were all out for 162 in 48.3 overs. The 19-year-old Gujarat left-arm spinner Akshar Patel took 4 for 29 while chasing 209 for a win at the Kallang Ground. Remarkably, Shaiman Anwar (44) and Swapnil Patel (41) pushed the Indian bowlers at bay with an 89-run second-wicket stand. But that was not adequate. Besides Patel, the 20-year-old Punjab pacer Sandeep Sharma (2 for 31) and Baba Aparajith (2 for 25) did fantastic job with the ball.
Previously, the 22-year-old Gujarat and Delhi Daredevils batsman Manprit Juneja hit 76 and opener Lokesh Rahul struck 43 as India under-23 were all out for 208 in 49.5 overs. To be precise, the Karachi-born off-break bowler Nasir Aziz was the devastator for UAE with 5 for 51 in 9.5 overs.
Notably, Pakistan scored a mind-blowing one-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the second semi-final played at The Padang. Moreover, all-rounder Hammad Azam scored an undisputed 66 and spinner Usman Qadir, who is the son of former leg-spinning great Abdul Qadir, picked 5 for 31 for the Pakistan under-23s. While pursuing Sri Lanka's 230/7, the Pakistanis hit the target with seven balls extra.
