India, in Group `A', take on Kazakhstan in their first encounter on Oct 17, according to the groupings and fixtures drawn up by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

India topped group six in the qualifying rounds of the 31st asian youth football championship here recently.

The top two teams from Group `A' and `B' will qualify for the semifinals. These four semifinalists will vie for honours in the World youth under-20 championship, to be held in Nigeria next year.

Groupings

Group `A':

India, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan and Kuwait. Group `B': Korea, China, Iraq, Qatar, Japan.

Fixtures

Oct 17: Thailand vs Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan vs India; Oct 18: Korea vs China, Iraq vs Qatar; Oct 19: India vs Thailand, Kuwait vs Saudi Arabia; Oct 20: Qatar vs Korea, Japan vsChina; Oct 21: Kuwait vs Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia vs India; Oct 22: Japan vs Iraq, China vs Qatar; Oct 23: India vs Kuwait, Kazakhstan vs Thailand; Oct 24: Qatar vs Japan, Iraq vs Korea; Oct 25: Saudi Arabia vs Kazakhstan, Thailand vs Kuwait; Oct 26: China vs Iraq, Korea vs Japan.