ACC Emerging Teams Cup: India bow out after losing by three runs to Pakistan in semi-final

India crashed out of the Asian Cricket Council Emerging Teams Cup after losing by three runs to arch-rivals Pakistan in the first semi-final in Dhaka on Wednesday. Pakistan dished out a strong top-order display to put up 267 for seven on the board after opting to bat. Openers Omair Yousuf (66 off 97 balls) and Haider Ali (43 off 60) put on a 90-run opening stand to lay a solid foundation. [caption id=“attachment_4221359” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image.[/caption] Thereafter, Saif Badar (47 not out off 48), skipper Rohail Nazir (35) and Imran Rafiq (28) made useful contributions with the bat to take Pakistan to a defendable score. Pacer Shivam Mavi (2/53), off-spinner Hrithik Shokeen (2/59) and Saurabh Dubey (2/60) shared six wickets between them. Chasing the target, India captain Belur Ravi Sharath (47 off 43 balls) and Aryan Juyal (17 off 17) made a bright start, stitching 43 runs off just 38 balls for the opening wicket. After the dismissal of Juyal, Sharath held the fort in the company of top-scorer Sanvir Singh (76 off 90) with a fifty-plus stand, but India’s chase hit a roadblock once the duo got out. India were dealt a severe blow when Armaan Jaffer (46 off 53) and Yash Rathod (13) were dismissed in quick succession, reducing the team to 211 for five in 38.1 overs. With five wickets in hand, the target was still achievable, but India kept losing wickets and were pegged back at 264 for eight. With Chinmay Sutar (28 not out) at the crease, India needed an achievable seven runs off the last over, but they fluffed in the chase as right-arm pacer Amad Butt conceded just four runs and also picked up the wicket of Mavi to seal the win for Pakistan.