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U19 Asia Cup: India must beat UAE on 10 November to reach the semi-finals
India Under-19s and UAE are level on two points in Group A behind Pakistan on four, so Tuesday's match decides who goes through. A win guarantees India a top-two place; a defeat ends their run whatever Pakistan and Nepal do. Afghanistan and Bangladesh have already qualified from Group B.
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India Under-19s must beat the UAE on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, to reach the semi-finals of the Asia Cup in Oman. After two rounds of Group A, Pakistan lead with four points, and India and the UAE are level on two, with Nepal on none. A win would give India four points and a place in the top two whatever happens in Pakistan's last match; a defeat would leave India on two points with no way to finish above the UAE, and out. The Asian Cricket Council's results show that Group B has already settled, with Afghanistan and Bangladesh through.
The semi-finals are on 12 November and the final on 14 November, according to the BCCI's announcement of the squad. This article uses the Asian Cricket Council's published results. The net run rates are the writer's own calculation.
Where Group A stands after two rounds
Each team plays three group matches. Four of the six in Group A have been played, and the results show how tight the table is.
On 6 November Pakistan beat the UAE by nine wickets, the UAE making 224 all out and Pakistan 225 for 1 in 37.3 overs, and India beat Nepal by ten wickets, Nepal making 128 all out and India 129 without loss in 19.1 overs. On 8 November the UAE beat Nepal by seven wickets, Nepal 153 all out and the UAE 158 for 3 in 34.4 overs, and Pakistan beat India by three wickets, India making 208 all out and Pakistan 209 for 7 in 48.1 overs.
That gives the following table.
| Team | Played | Won | Points | Net run rate (calculated) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | 2 | 2 | 4 | +0.746 |
| India | 2 | 1 | 2 | +1.439 |
| UAE | 2 | 1 | 2 | +0.192 |
| Nepal | 2 | 0 | 0 | -2.521 |
The rates use the standard method, in which a side bowled out is treated as having used its full 50 overs. India's rate is the best in the group because of the 10-wicket win in 19.1 overs, which more than covers the narrow defeat by Pakistan. The UAE figure, +0.192, matches the rate published by other trackers. The rate only matters if teams finish level on points, which is why the match itself decides more than the table does.
The scenarios for 10 November
The remaining games are India against the UAE, and Pakistan against Nepal. The sources read do not give a date for the second.
| If | Then |
|---|---|
| India beat the UAE | India have 4 points. The UAE and Nepal can reach 2 at most, so India finish in the top two, level with or behind Pakistan on points |
| The UAE beat India | The UAE have 4 points. India stay on 2, and the top two places go to Pakistan and the UAE, whatever Nepal do |
| The match is tied or abandoned | Not covered in the sources read; the playing conditions would decide the points |
So India's fate does not depend on Pakistan and Nepal. A win secures a place in the semi-finals, and a defeat ends the campaign. The semi-final pairing is not spelled out in the BCCI announcement, which says two teams from Group A and Group B advance to the semi-final stage on 12 November.
The form of the two sides
India's two results point both ways. They bowled Nepal out for 128 and chased the target in under 20 overs, then were bowled out for 208 by Pakistan after a collapse early in their innings, and lost with Pakistan 11 balls to spare. Arjun Rajput's century in that match was the highlight of the innings. The squad is led by Lakshya Raichandani, with Yashbardhan Singh Chauhan as vice-captain.
The UAE have one result against each kind of opposition. They were bowled out for 224 by Pakistan, who chased it down with a hundred from Usman Khan, then beat Nepal by seven wickets with more than 15 overs to spare. Naseem Khan took 5 for 43 and captain Ayaan Misbah made an unbeaten 75 off 104 balls, according to the council's scorecards.
The match is at Muscat; the BCCI lists the ground as OCC Turf 2 and the council as OCA Ground 2, so check the match centre for the venue and start time. The semi-finals follow on 12 November.
The Group B results from the council's match centre show how the places were decided. Afghanistan beat Bangladesh by 113 runs on 5 November (231 against 118), Malaysia by ten wickets on 7 November, after bowling them out for 42, and Sri Lanka by 106 runs on 9 November (275 against 169). Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka by 45 runs on 7 November and Malaysia by 205 runs on 9 November, scoring 303 for 8 in that match.
In Group B, Afghanistan finished with six points from three wins, the last by 106 runs over Sri Lanka on 9 November, and Bangladesh have four. Sri Lanka have two and Malaysia none, with no matches left, so the Group B places are settled.
Sources
About the Author
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Subhash Gupta
Desk Editor
Subhash Gupta is a writer at Wirony, contributing articles that are reviewed and verified by the editorial team before publication. The publication prioritises accuracy, editorial…
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