ACC T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024: India bow out after semi-final loss to Afghanistan

India A’s ACC T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 campaign concluded on Friday following a 20-run loss against Afghanistan A in the semi-finals at the Oman Cricket Academy Ground in Al Amarat.

Electing to bat first, Afghanistan A rode on half-centuries by Zubaid Akbari and Sediqullah Atal to post a massive 206/4 on the board, the highest total in the ongoing Emerging Teams Asia Cup edition.

The Indian cricket team’s chase fell 20 runs short despite a fighting 64 off 34 by Ramandeep Singh.

After Darwish Rasooli won the toss, Afghan openers Zubaid Akbari and Sediqullah Atal paced their start well before breaking loose.

India’s Aaqib Khan was taken for 20 off the final over of powerplay while Deepak Chahar conceded 31 in the 13th over of the innings as the duo helped Afghanistan race to 137/0 in 14 overs.

Aaqib Khan finally managed to break through and had Akbari caught behind the wicket for 64. However, Atal (83 off 52) continued dealing damage with Karim Janat (41) as partner before Rasikh Salam delivered the Afghans a double blow in the 18th over, removing Atal and Rasooli of successive deliveries.

Afghanistan A’s innings eventually ended at 206/4 in the 20 overs.

Needing a blistering start in order to chase down the big score, India A were dealt a double blow by Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, who removed both Indian openers - Abhishek Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh - in his first two overs.

Abdul Rahman also accounted for Indian captain Tilak Varma in the final over of powerplay as India were left reeling at 48/3 after six overs.

Ayush Badoni and Nehal Wadhera tried to steady the ship but the duo’s partnership added only 32 more to the board before Wadhera was run out.

Badoni, too, had to walk back just after helping India reach the 100-run mark.

Just when it seemed like it was only a matter of time before Afghanistan would wrap up the affair, in stepped Ramandeep Singh. Batting on five off seven when Badoni departed, Ramandeep took up the responsibility of keeping India in the contest and reached his half-century in just 26 balls.

He had good company from Nishant Sindhu, who scored a quickfire 23 off 13, before being run out.

Despite Ramandeep’s heroics, though, India were still left with a tall yet doable task and needed to get 38 off the final two overs. However, a miserly penultimate over by Janat, which yielded just eight, gave Abdul Rahman 30 to defend off the last over.

Ramandeep managed two boundaries in the final over before being dismissed off the very last delivery. India’s chase stopped 20 short of the Afghan total.

The result means Afghanistan A have reached the final of the ACC T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup for the first time and will play Sri Lanka A, two-time champions, in the final. The Lankans beat Pakistan Shaheens in the other semi-final clash earlier in the day.

IND-A vs AFG-A brief scores: Afghanistan A 206/4 in 20 overs (Sediqullah Atal 83; Rasikh Salam 3/25) beat India A 186/7 in 20 overs (Ramandeep Singh 64; AM Ghazanfar 3/14) by 20 runs.