Patient half-centuries from Vihaan Malhotra and Aaron George guided India into the Under-19 Asia Cup final after a hard-fought win over Sri Lanka in a rain-shortened contest, setting up a mouth-watering title clash with Pakistan.
The semi-final swung back and forth from the outset. After choosing to bowl, India struck early to reduce Sri Lanka to 28 for 3, putting immediate pressure on the batting side. Captain Vimath Dinsara and Chamika Heenatigala briefly restored calm with a 45-run stand, but India responded sharply, ripping out three wickets for just 11 runs to regain control.
Sri Lanka found another lifeline through a 62-run partnership between Heenatigala and Sethmika Seneviratne. While Seneviratne played the aggressor, Heenatigala battled through discomfort to hold one end. However, India once again turned the screws at the death, conceding only 20 runs and claiming two wickets in the final three overs to restrict Sri Lanka to 138.
India’s bowlers laid the platform early. Kishan Singh and Deepesh Devendran struck in the opening exchanges, while a sharp direct hit from Vedant Trivedi accounted for Kavija Gamage. Later, Kanishk Chouhan and Khilan Patel struck in successive overs to ensure Sri Lanka were repeatedly forced to rebuild.
The chase began shakily for India, who slipped to 25 for 2 and briefly allowed Sri Lanka to sense a comeback. That hope was extinguished by Malhotra and George, who put together an unbeaten stand of 114 runs that blended patience with timely acceleration.
Their partnership evolved in two clear phases. The first 62 runs came cautiously from 51 balls, as the pair stabilised the innings. The momentum shifted decisively when Malhotra attacked Dulnith Sigera in the 13th over, striking 4, 4 and 6 to tilt the game India’s way. From there, the next 52 runs flowed from just 36 deliveries.
Malhotra brought up his fifty from 35 balls, while George reached his milestone in 43, ensuring India crossed the line without further alarms. Their calm under pressure proved decisive in a contest where fortunes fluctuated throughout.
With this win, India booked a high-stakes final against Pakistan on Sunday, setting the stage for a classic Under-19 Asia Cup showdown between the two rivals.
