United News of Bangladesh

Cricket rivals India and Pakistan reached the Asian Games men's cricket final on Thursday after winning their respective semifinals, setting up another high-profile meeting between the neighboring countries. Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by six wickets in a rain-affected match reduced to 13 overs per side because of a wet outfield. India then crushed Sri Lanka by 124 runs in the second semifinal, with four Sri Lankan batters dismissed without scoring. The final, scheduled for Saturday in Japan, is expected to draw attention to the political tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Handshakes unlikelyPlayers from India and Pakistan have recently avoided the traditional pre- and post-match handshakes amid strained relations between the countries. Tensions along the India-Pakistan border brought the two countries close to war last year and have also affected their cricket encounters. India's men's team defeated Pakistan three times in the Asia Cup, including the final, but Suryakumar Yadav's side did not shake hands with Pakistani players in any of the matches. The Indian team also declined to receive the trophy from Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi. India's women's team similarly avoided handshakes with Pakistan during a match at the continental championship and later declined to receive the women's Asia Cup trophy from Naqvi after winning the tournament in the United Arab Emirates. Sri Lanka bowled out for 45Ishan Kishan's unbeaten 80 off 46 balls helped India post 169-7. Teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 15, added 38 runs, hitting six fours and two sixes. Sri Lanka, fielding a second-string team, suffered an early collapse. Sineth Jayawardene, Lasith Croospulle and Sohan de Livera were all dismissed without scoring. Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets in his opening over, while Croospulle was run out. Nuwanidu Fernando was the only Sri Lankan batter to reach double figures, scoring 15. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 45 in 9.5 overs. Bumrah finished with 2-7, while spinners Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Abhishek Sharma shared five wickets. India made a fast start after being sent in to bat, but Sooryavanshi fell shortly after the powerplay. Sri Lanka then slowed India's scoring in the middle overs before Kishan accelerated the innings with five sixes and four boundaries. Samad, Muqim lead PakistanAbdul Samad smashed an unbeaten 30 from 15 balls, while left-arm spinner Sufyan Muqim took 3-28 as Pakistan comfortably defeated Bangladesh. Towhid Hridoy top-scored for Bangladesh with an aggressive 42 off 25 balls, including four sixes, before Muqim dismissed him in the penultimate over. Bangladesh finished on 111-7.