Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored a quickfire 67 off just 36 balls to help India beat Sri Lanka in the semi-finals at Sharjah on Thursday to storm into the ACC U19 Asia Cup 2024 summit clash.

This was the 13-year-old’s second successive half-century in the tournament after scoring an unbeaten 76 off just 46 balls to help India beat UAE by 10 wickets in a do-or-die group game on Wednesday.

Like in the match against UAE, India lost the toss and were asked to field first by Lankan captain Vihas Thewmika.

Sri Lanka, who topped Group B to qualify for the semis, failed to cope up with the Indian bowling attack on the day and folded for a paltry 173 in 46.2 overs. Chetan Sharma was the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 3/34 in eight overs.

Kiran Chormale, 2/32, and Ayush Mhatre, 2/37, also complemented Sharma’s spell and never let the Lankans break free.

Lakvin Abeysinghe (69) and Sharujan Shanmuganathan (42) were the key contributors to Sri Lanka’s total.

While Lankan batters struggled on the tricky surface, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who recently became the youngest player in history to earn an Indian Premier League contract after being signed by Rajasthan Royals at last month’s IPL 2025 auction, made the chase look easy.

He started off his innings with two consecutive sixes followed by a boundary off Dulnith Sigera in the second over. The teenager also finished off with another six as the over yielded 31 runs, which included nine byes.

With opening partner Ayush Mhatre also scoring freely at the other end Vaibhav went on a rampage. The duo put on 91 runs for the opening wicket before Mhatre departed in the ninth over.

Suryavanshi, however, continued unperturbed and reached his fifty with a six off Viran Chamuditha in the very next over. He brought about his half-ton in just 24 balls.

By the time the batting prodigy was dismissed by Praveen Maneesha in the 14th over, India were cruising at 132/2. With the platform in place, captain Mohamed Amaan and KP Karthikeya helped the Indian cricket team past the finish line in the 22nd over to cap off a resounding victory.

Suryavanshi also walked away with the Player of the Match award for his special knock.

Record eight-time U19 Asia Cup India will face defending champions Bangladesh in the final on Sunday. Bangladesh beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the other semi-final to book their place in a second successive final.

Photo: ESPNCricinfo