India has officially ended a two-decade wait to return to the AFC U20 Asian Cup. The Blue Colts secured their qualification on Sunday with a decisive 3-0 victory against Bangladesh during their final Group B qualifying match held at the Do’stlik Stadium in Tashkent.
The scoring was led by Danny Meitei Laishram, Vishal Yadav, and substitute Md Arbash, who each found the back of the net to seal the win. This result earned India their second victory of the campaign, placing them second in Group B with a total of six points from three matches.
Group leaders Uzbekistan concluded their campaign with nine points after defeating Syria, who finished third with three points. Bangladesh exited the tournament without securing a point and will now move to the Development Phase. India’s second-place finish proved sufficient to qualify as one of the seven best runners-up across the eight qualifying groups.
Tournament Details and Upcoming Schedule
- AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027: Scheduled for March 24 to April 10, 2027.
- World Cup Pathway: The top four finishers at the tournament will earn spots in the FIFA U20 World Cup 2027.
- U19 Asia Cup Final: India is set to face Pakistan this Sunday.
- Weather Notice: No reserve day has been allocated for the U19 Asia Cup semifinals in Dubai.
- Recent Cricket Results: Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh to secure a semifinal spot in the Asia Cup, while Shafali and Deepti led India to victory in their tournament opener.
- Test Cricket Update: Saransh Jain has earned his first India Test cap.
Important Details
- The report also notes that the victory marks India’s return to the AFC U20 Asian Cup after a 20-year absence and caps a successful qualifying campaign for the Blue Colts.