U-19 Asia Cup 2023: Azan Awais Slams Unbeaten Ton as Pakistan Beat India By 8 Wickets

Dubai: In a commanding performance, Pakistan secured an eight-wicket victory against arch-rivals India in the ongoing U-19 Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday. India posted a modest total of 259 for 9 in 50 overs, with Sachin Dhas contributing significantly with a quick 58 runs off 42 balls. However, the partnership between skipper Uday Saharan (60 off 98 balls) and opener Adarsh Singh (62 off 81 balls) failed to accelerate, managing only 93 runs in 20 overs. Mohammed Zeeshan of Pakistan stood out with four wickets for 46 runs.

Pakistan, in reply, chased down the target in just 47 overs, with Azan Awais playing a crucial role with an unbeaten century (105 off 130 balls, 10 fours). Azan partnered with Shazaib Khan (63 off 88 balls) for a solid 110-run stand for the second wicket and later combined with Saad Baig (68 not out off 51 balls) for an additional 125 runs in just 19.1 overs.

Despite India’s skipper Uday Saharan using seven bowlers, the efforts fell short, with only off-spinner Murugan Abhishek managing to take two wickets. Musheer Khan, brother of Sarfaraz Khan, had a challenging outing, conceding 32 runs in four overs.

India now faces a crucial final group league match against Nepal on Tuesday, needing a win to qualify for the semi-finals. Pakistan, with two wins from two games, is in a strong position but would have to lose significantly to Afghanistan to miss out on qualification. The upcoming match for India against Nepal is expected to be a relatively easier encounter, given Nepal’s previous losses in the tournament.