Emerging Men's Asia Cup: India 'A' start favourites in blockbuster final against Pakistan 'A'

The ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup is all set for a blockbuster conclusion with India A taking on Pakistan A in the final in Colombo on Sunday. The Yash Dhull-led side stormed into the final after collecting a 51-run victory over Bangladesh A in the semi-final on Friday, successfully defending a modest total of 211. Dhull led from the front with a valiant 66, helping the Men in Blue cross 200. Bangladesh, in reply, were cruising towards the target and were 70 for no loss at one stage before left-arm spinners Nishant Sindhu (5/20) and Manav Suthar (3/36) triggered a collapse and ensured the Tigers fell well short of the target. Defending champions Pakistan A, on the other hand, defeated tournament hosts Sri Lanka A by 60 runs after posting a massive 322 on the board. Omair Yousuf led the way with a 79-ball 88 before seamer Arshad Iqbal’s 5/37 helped bundle the Sri Lankans out for 262. Given their spotless record in the tournament so far and the fact that they’ve posted lopsided wins in nearly all of their matches, Dhull and Co start favourites against their neighbours and arch-rivals. India had thrashed Pakistan by eight wickets during the group stage, with opening batter B Sai Sudharsan anchoring the successful chase with an unbeaten 104 after pacer Rajvardhan Hangargekar’s 5/42 restricted the Men in Green to 205. Sudharsan will draw confidence from his knock against Pakistan and hope to produce a similar match-winning knock in the grand finale. Ahead of the final, the Tamil Nadu batter spoke about the influence Indian legends such as MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli have had on him and his game. “Everyone knows Mahi bhai. He is very calm and whenever I speak to him, he always insists to know more about yourself and what you can do for the team. That is more important than trying and doing something or being someone else. “Virat’s mind is very strong. So, I want to take that trait from him. I have had conversations with him as well,” Sudharsan, who represents Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League, told broadcasters Star Sports ahead of the final. While the Indian team comprises players who have established themselves in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and in the domestic scene, Pakistan A have as many as seven players in their squad who are capped at the senior level. That includes pacers Mohammad Wasim, who has two Tests and 41 white-ball appearances for Pakistan to his credit, and Shahnawaz Dahani. India had won the inaugural edition of the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Singapore in 2013. Sri Lanka would go on to win the next two editions, in 2017 and 2018 respectively, while Pakistan won the tournament the last time it was held (2019). When will the India A vs Pakistan A final take place? The ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup final between India A and Pakistan A will take place on Sunday, 23 July What time is India A vs Pakistan A in the Emerging Men’s Asia Cup final? India A vs Pakistan A in the Emerging Men’s Asia Cup final is scheduled to start at 2 PM local time (2PM IST). Where will the India A vs Pakistan A final take place? India A vs Pakistan A final will take place at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Where can I watch the live coverage of the India A vs Pakistan A final? You can tune into the live coverage of the India A vs Pakistan A ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup final on the Star Sports Network. The match will also be streamed live on Fancode.