Under-19 World Cup 2026: India make short work of Afghanistan's 310, storm into final
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Aaron George (Source: X/@BCCI)
Published - 04 Feb 2026, 06:50 PM• Read time - 4 mins
Afghanistan and India clashed in the second semi-final of the Under-19 World Cup 2026 at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday, February 4. Afghanistan captain Mahboob Khan won the toss and elected to bat first on a sunny morning. The team made one change - Aqil Khan was replaced with pacer Khatir Stanikzai. India, on the other hand, went in with an unchanged XI.
Osman Sadat began the innings with a four off the first ball from RS Ambrish. Both Sadat and Khalid Ahmadzai were steady at the crease, negotiating the new ball without giving away any early wickets to India's fast bowlers. The partnership grew gradually to cross the fifty-run mark, but soon after Deepesh Devendran struck to send back Ahmadzai for 31(39).
Faisal Shinozada joined Sadat and the duo kept the momentum going. India were unable to make any breakthroughs in the next hour or so as Afghanistan finished their first 20 overs with 94 runs on the board. The stand crossed the half-century mark subsequently, but just like the previous partnership, it did not go on much further after that. Off spinner Kanishk Chouhan dismissed Sadat for 39(70) as Afghanistan found themselves at 119/2 at the halfway mark.
Uzairullah Niazai and Shinozada came together next and added runs steadily. It was again the same story - batters building a substantial partnership and the Indian bowlers unable to get wickets. However, in this case the partnership grew significantly to beyond 100 runs as Shinozada also reached his hundred off 86 balls in the 43rd over. Notably, it was the right-hander's sixth youth ODI century and he is now joint-most with Pakistan's Sami Aslam.
Afghanistan had a good platform to launch in the death overs now. The onslaught began and the pair started accumulating runs at a fast rate. But, the pursuit of adding quick runs led to Shinozada's dismissal on 110(93). Devendran brought an end to the 148-run partnership as Azizullah Miakhil joined Niazai.
A brief and breezy partnership between the two ensued before Miakhil (12 off 9) succumbed to Chouhan for the latter's second wicket. Abdul Aziz joined Niazai for the last nine deliveries and the latter took it upon himself to take Afghanistan to over 300 which he did. In the process, Niazai brought up his century in 85 balls as the Afghans finished at 310/4. For India, Chouhan (2/55) and Devendran (2/64) were the only wicket-takers.
Just like Afghanistan, India began their innings with a four off the first ball as well, courtesy of Aaron George. The openers looked positive and accumulated 16 runs in three overs. But this was the calm before the storm. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed off spinner Wahidullah Zadran for 15 runs in the next over and took charge of the partnership hereafter.
The teenage prodigy kept punishing the bowlers, while George played risk-free strokes. Sooryavanshi was in a hurry to finish the game as the left-hander reached his third fifty of the tournament in just 24 balls. India were going at over 10 runs per over at this stage, finding themselves at 73/0 in seven overs.
The Bihar boy continued to go after the bowlers afterwards as well, but could not convert his scintillating 68(33) into a century. A well-directed short ball brought an end to the left-hander's innings which comprised nine fours and four sixes.
Captain Ayush Mhatre joined George as India ended the first powerplay for a superb 91/1. The right-handers built on the solid platform that was laid and carried on scoring at more than six runs per over. The Afghan bowlers seemed clueless as the Indian batters piled on the agony over after over.
The pair crossed their respective 50-run marks during the partnership which lasted 102 balls for 114 runs before Mhatre was caught out for 62(59). With 103 runs needed off 23 overs, India were still in the driver's seat.
Vihaan Malhotra came in at number four and played second fiddle in the partnership with George who began to accelerate. The game slipped away from the Afghans almost completely after a while as India needed just 43 runs from the last 15 overs. George reached his three-figure mark soon after and India inched closer to victory.
The centurion, however, could not last the distance as Zadran ended the right-hander's match-winning innings for 115(104). India cruised home in the next 10 balls, winning by seven wickets with 53 balls remaining. Almost all the Afghanistan bowlers were expensive with Nooristani Omarzai producing the best figures (2/64).
India will now face England in the final in Harare on Friday, February 6.
