India registered a convincing victory over Sri Lanka in the first semi-final of the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2025, played at the ICC Academy Grounds in Dubai, to secure their place in the final of the tournament.
The match was affected by rain, resulting in a reduced 20-overs-per-side contest. After being asked to bat first, Sri Lanka posted a total of 138 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their allotted overs.
Middle-order batter Chamika Heenatigala top-scored for Sri Lanka with a fighting 42 off 38 deliveries, which included three boundaries. Captain Vimath Dinsara contributed a valuable 32, while Sethmika Senevirathne added 30 to give Sri Lanka some momentum in the middle overs.
However, regular wickets prevented the Islanders from posting a bigger total. For India, Henil Patel and Kanishk Chouhan were the stand-out performers with the ball, each picking up two wickets.
In reply, India made light work of the chase, reaching the target in just 18 overs with eight wickets in hand. Vihaan Malhotra and Aaron George anchored the innings with composed half-centuries, ensuring there were no hiccups in the run chase. Rasith Nimsara was the most successful bowler for Sri Lanka, finishing with figures of two wickets for 31 runs.
India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan in the title clash, scheduled to be played on 21st December at the ICC Academy Grounds in Dubai.
Brief Scores
Sri Lanka U19 – 138/8 (20) Chamika Heenatigala 42, Vimath Dinsara 32, Sethmika Senevirathne 30, Henil Patel 2/31, Kanishk Chouhan 2/36
India U19 – 139/2 (18) Vihaan Malhotra 61*, Aaron George 58*, Rasith Nimsara 2/31
Result – India U19 won by 8 wickets
