Centurion Rishabh Pant (118) led India to a spectacular 104-run win over Afghanistan to progress to the final of the Under-19 tri-series One-day cricket tournament in Kolkata on Friday.
India advanced to the title match with an all-win record.
Left-hander Pant was the chief architect of the win, following his 118 from 98 balls (14x4, 4x6) propelled India to 266/7, after they were put in to bat in an inconsequential match at the JadavpurUniversity second campus ground in SaltLake.
Pant came into the match on the back of two explosive half centuries.
After losing his opening partner for four runs in the second over, Pant along with Jharkhand's Virat Singh (71 from 94b; 7x4, 1x6) built the innings and gave India a solid platform with their entertaining 186-run partnership that came from 185 balls.
India lost the Pant and Singh within two runs, but skipper Ricky Bhui, propped up the total with his 62-ball 50 (4x4, 2x6).
In reply, the Afghans were wrapped up for 162 in 28 overs with Lucknow leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari starring with figures of 5/37 in eight overs to hand India their second bonus point win of the tournament.
A big fan of Aussie great Shane Warne, Zeeshan, whose main weapon is the googly, claimed wickets in successive deliveries including that of Afghan top-scorer Naveed Obaid (63 from 44b; 9x3, 4x6) in the 16th over to derail their chase by restricting them to 109/6 in 15.4 overs.
Afghanistan were eventually bowled out after Zeeshan claimed his fifth victim in Zia-ur Rahman as he bowled eight overs at a stretch and finished with an impressive 5/37.
"I just kept my concentration on the line and the ball did the rest... I'm really excited at the prospect of bowling in Bangladesh where there will be similar spin-friendly wickets (during next year's Under-19 World Cup). Hope I can contribute to the team's cause," Zeeshan said.
India finished with 18 points from four matches to finish on top ahead of Bangladesh (nine points) after the league stage of the tri-nation tournament as the top two teams will clash in Sunday's summit showdown.
Having already sealed their final berth after their second win over Bangladesh in their last match, India made six changes to the line-up.
Earlier Pant got a reprieve on 48 when Rashid Arman dropped the Indian opener, and he went on to make the first century of the tournament.
He was especially ruthless against Afghan spinner Tariq Stanikzai, slamming three sixes to race to the 100-mark in 90 balls, while Singh gave him fine support at the other end.
Nasir Khan finally got the breakthrough, dismissing Pant in the 32nd over, while Singh followed him into the pavilion in the next over as Afghans brought the Indian run-rate down before Bhui got into the act.
Brief Scores:
India Under-19: 266/7; 50 overs (118, Virat Singh 71, Ricky Bhui 50; Muslim Musa 2/38, Muhammad Zahir 2/40) beat Afghanistan Under-19: 162; 28 overs (Naveed Obaid 63; Zeeshan Ansari 5/37) by 104 runs.
Image: Indian U-19 cricketer Rishabh Pant celebrates his century against Afghanistan during their U-19 Tri Series match at Salt Lake in Kolkata on Friday.
Photograph: Ashok Bhaumik/PTI
