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NEW DELHI: India A will look for a far stronger display from their top-order when they meet a spirited Bangladesh A in the Rising Stars Asia Cup semifinal on Friday.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi has carried the batting through most of the tournament, but the team now needs a collective effort to match Bangladesh’s challenge.

Suryavanshi is the second-highest scorer of the competition with 201 runs, including a blazing century and a solid 45, yet the support around him has been inconsistent.

Captain Jitesh Sharma, Naman Dhir, Priyansh Arya and Nehal Wadhera have shown sparks, but none have delivered a statement knock.

Batting needs to click together

Against Bangladesh A, India A cannot afford another uneven outing. The opposition has already shown how dangerous they can be, bowling out a strong Afghanistan A side for just 78 and pushing Sri Lanka A into the final over during the league stage.

Ripon Mondol’s pace and Rakibul Hasan’s left-arm spin, both of whom have featured for Bangladesh’s senior T20 team, will pose a serious test for India’s top-order.

Bowling remains India A’s strength

India A’s bowlers have been far more assured throughout the event.
Left-arm pacer Gurjapneet Singh leads the wicket charts for India with five strikes in three games, while spinners Harsh Dubey and Suyash Sharma have chipped in with three wickets each.

Dubey has also shown his value with the bat, producing a crucial fifty against Oman after being promoted to No. 4 in a must-win match.

“I started out as an opener and that batter is still in me. I wanted to make the most of my chance against Oman. We want to keep playing the way we did against the UAE and Oman, and we believe we can win the trophy,” Dubey told bcci.tv.

His spin, however, will be essential against Bangladesh A, whose batting hinges on two powerful hitters — opener Habibur Rahman Sohan and skipper Akbar Ali.
Beyond them, their line-up can be shaky, giving India A a real opportunity to control the middle overs and push for a place in the final, possibly against Pakistan Shaheens on Sunday.

The second semifinal on Friday night will see Shaheens take on Sri Lanka.

Teams

India A: Priyansh Arya, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Nehal Wadhera, Naman Dhir (vc), Suryansh Shedge, Jitesh Sharma (c/wk), Ramandeep Singh, Harsh Dubey, Ashutosh Sharma, Yash Thakur, Gurjapneet Singh, Vijay Kumar Vyshak, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Abhisek Porel (wk), Suyash Sharma.

Bangladesh A: Akbar Ali (c), Md. Habibur Rahman, Yasir Ali, Jishan Alam, Ariful Islam, Rakibul Hasan, Mahidul Ankon (wk), Tofael Ahmed Rayhan, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, Meherob Hasan, Ripon Mondol, Abu Hidar Rony, Md. Shadin Islam, Zawad Abrar, Md. Abdul Gaffar.

Match starts at 3pm IST

(With PTI Inputs)