India A Books Semifinal Berth with Dominant Display
India A has successfully advanced to the semifinals of the ACC Men's Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 tournament after registering a comprehensive six-wicket victory against Oman at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium in Doha on Tuesday. The crucial encounter served as a virtual quarterfinal with a knockout position at stake, and the Indian team delivered a professional performance to join Pakistan Shaheens in the final four stage of the competition.
Chase Masterclass Seals Victory
Chasing a modest target of 136 runs, India A encountered early turbulence as their opening batsmen struggled to establish dominance. Young opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi departed after scoring 12 runs, while Priyansh Arya managed only 10 before returning to the pavilion. The team found themselves in a precarious position at 37 for 2 within the first five overs of their innings.
The innings received much-needed stability from Naman Dhir, who played a explosive cameo of 30 runs from just 19 deliveries. His innings included two boundaries and two sixes before his dismissal against the run of play. The chase then found its anchor in Harsh Dubey, who displayed remarkable composure and maturity throughout his unbeaten innings.
Dubey's match-winning knock of 53 not out from 44 balls, featuring seven fours and one six, guided India A to victory with considerable ease. He found excellent support from Nehal Wadhera, who contributed a valuable 23 runs from 24 deliveries. The pair built a decisive 66-run partnership for the fourth wicket that effectively ended Oman's resistance. Captain Jitesh Sharma applied the finishing touches with a boundary as India A completed their chase at 138 for 4 in 17.5 overs.
Bowling Excellence Sets Up Win
Earlier in the match, Oman won the toss and elected to bat first but were restricted to 135 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs. The total always appeared below par on the Doha pitch. Oman captain Hammad Mirza provided an explosive start with a rapid 32 runs from just 16 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes during his aggressive innings.
However, the momentum shifted decisively in India's favor once their spin bowlers settled into their rhythm. Leg-spinner Suyash Sharma emerged as the standout performer with exceptional figures of 2 for 12 from his four overs, claiming the crucial wickets of Karan Sonavale (12) and Zikria Islam (0).
The middle overs were tightly controlled by Harsh Dubey (1/30) and Naman Dhir (1/5), who maintained constant pressure on the Oman batsmen by restricting scoring opportunities. For Oman, Wasim Ali fought a lone battle with an unbeaten 54 from 45 balls, but received inadequate support from other batsmen as wickets continued to fall regularly at the other end. Gurjapneet Singh further dented Oman's hopes of a strong finish by taking two late wickets for 37 runs.
Road to Semifinals
With this impressive victory, India A has secured their place in the tournament semifinals where they will face the topper of Group A on Friday. Pakistan Shaheens will also contest their semifinal match on the same day. The team will aim to carry their winning momentum into the crucial knockout stages as they pursue the Asia Cup Rising Stars championship title.
The comprehensive nature of India A's victory, featuring contributions from both batsmen and bowlers, demonstrates the squad's depth and readiness for the challenges ahead in the business end of the tournament.
