India v Pakistan in final of Emerging Teams Asia Cup

Traditional rivals India and Pakistan will face off in the final of the Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Colombo on Sunday.

The A teams of Asia faced off in the 50-over competition ahead of the senior team Asia Cup that will take place in Sri Lanka and Pakistan next month.

The tournament was an opportunity for younger players on the fringe of their national setup to get exposure at the highest level. However, teams like Pakistan and Bangladesh had a few of international players in their squads, with some also boasting World Cup experience.

In the semi-finals, Mohammad Haris's Pakistan A eased past hosts Sri Lanka by 60 runs. Batting first, Pakistan posted 322 with contributions from their entire lineup, including captain Haris who scored a fifty. With the ball, Pakistan fast bowler Arshad Iqbal picked up five wickets to help bowl out the Sri Lankans for 262.

The other semi-final was a closer contest as India struggled to 211 against disciplined Bangladesh bowling. The Tigers made a strong start in the chase, reaching 70 for no loss before India's spinners came into their own under lights.

Left-arm spinners Nishant Sindh (5-20) and Manav Suthar (3-32) then tore through Bangladesh's batting to dismiss the Tigers for 160 and seal a 51-run win.

In the final, Pakistan are expected to hold the edge as their captain Haris, all-rounder Mohammad Wasim, batsman Saim Ayub and pacer Shahnawaz Dahani have considerable international experience.