Defending champion India cruised to a 10-wicket win over neighbor and arch-rival Pakistan in Potchefstroom Tuesday to reach the Under-19 World Cup final for the seventh time.
India, the record four-time winner of the underage competition, dismissed Pakistan for 172 in 43.1 overs before comfortably knocking off the runs with 88 balls to spare.
India will play either New Zealand or Bangladesh, who meet in the second semi-final, for the title at the same venue Sunday.
Pakistan will contest the third-place play-off in Benoni Saturday.
Yashasvi Jaiswal struck an unbeaten 105 off 113 balls, completing his century and sealing the victory in style with a six over deep mid-wicket.
Left-hander Jaiswal, who was snapped up by the Rajasthan Royals in the 2020 Indian Premier League Twenty20 auction, smacked eight fours and four sixes as he took over as the tournament's leading run-scorer.
@BCBtigers U-19 cricket team swept into the semi-final of the U-19 @cricketworldcup after thumping their @OfficialCSA counterparts by 104 runs in the third quarter-final at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom Thursday.https://t.co/zVxKO9nwke#BCBTIGERS #BCB #TIGERS #BANGLADESH #CRICKET
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) January 30, 2020
He was ably supported in a leisurely chase by Divyaansh Saxena who finished 59 not out, his second fifty of the competition.
Jaiswal earlier picked up the key wicket of Pakistan opener Haider Ali (56) with his part-time leg-spin as Pakistan collapsed from 96 for two in an innings where just three players made double digit.
Ali and captain Rohail Nazir (62) helped Pakistan recover after losing Mohammad Huraira and Fahad Munir cheaply, but only Mohammad Haris, who hit a brisk 21 off 15 balls, provided any additional contribution.
Left-arm seamer Sushant Mishra took 3-28 while right-arm quick Kartik Tyagi and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi collected two wickets apiece.
Pakistan, who were back-to-back champion in 2004 and 2006, haven't beaten India at the U-19 World Cup since 2010.
With political relation on a knife-edge, there has been no Test match series between the two countries at senior level since 2007-08 and no white ball series since 2012-13.
