U-19 Asia Cup | Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and spinner Siddarth Desai star in India's 51-run victory over Afghanistan

Brief Scores: India U-19 221 in 45.3 overs (Yashashvi Jaiswal 92 off 93 balls, Ayush Badoni 65 off 66 balls; Azmatullah Omarzai 3/46) beat Afghanistan 170 in 45.4 overs (Riaz Hussain 47; Siddharth Desai 4/37, Harsh Tyagi 3/40). India U-19 won by 51 runs.

Opting to bat first, India were down in the dumps at 14 for 3 and were in the desperate need of a partnership that would revive their innings. And just as the doctor ordered, Jaiswal came to the rescue and resurrected the innings with his 92-run innings that helped India reach a respectable score of 221 runs in 45.3 overs. He got excellent support from Ayush Badni who scored 65 runs with eight fours and a six. Afghanistan skipper Seamer Azmatullah Omarzai and leg-spinner Qais Ahmed took three wickets. India lost their last five wickets in 19 runs. 

While chasing the assigned target, Afghanistan openers helped the team get off to a very good start and added 56 runs for the opening stand. But at a time it required concentration and no-complacency attitude, the team lost the momentum in the middle overs as the left-arm spin duo of Harsh Tyagi (3/40 in 10 overs), and Desai (4/37 in 7.4 overs) started ruling the pitch. Afghanistan eventually bundled out for a total of 170 runs as India enter the semi-finals as Group A champions.