U-19 World Cup Semi-Final: Dominant India Take on Determined Afghanistan

India, Feb 04 : India will lock horns with Afghanistan in the second semi-final of the Under-19 World Cup 2026 on February 4 at the Harare Sports Club, with both teams aiming to secure a coveted spot in the final. Led by Ayush Mhatre, India enter the knockout clash with a perfect record, having dominated every opponent in their path.

The campaign began with a comfortable six-wicket win over the United States, followed by a hard-fought 18-run triumph against Bangladesh. India then sealed the top position in Group B after defeating New Zealand by seven wickets. Their strong form carried into the Super Six phase, where they registered commanding victories over Zimbabwe and Pakistan to confirm their semi-final berth.

Afghanistan, meanwhile, have built momentum through an equally impressive run. They opened with a 28-run success against South Africa before producing convincing wins over West Indies and Tanzania to top Group D. Although Sri Lanka handed them a four-wicket setback in the Super Six stage, the side responded emphatically by crushing Ireland by 191 runs.

Despite India’s dominance, Afghanistan’s reputation for upsetting higher ranked teams adds intrigue to the contest, setting the stage for a potentially gripping encounter as the tournament approaches its climax.

Key players in focus

Abhigyan Kundu has been India’s standout performer with the bat, accumulating 199 runs in four innings at an average above 66, including two half-centuries. His ability to anchor innings under pressure makes him crucial in a high-stakes match.

Fast bowler Henil Patel has also impressed, claiming 11 wickets in five outings and providing India with a potent pace option.

For Afghanistan, Faisal Shinowzada has emerged as one of the tournament’s most prolific batters, amassing 325 runs in five innings with a century and two fifties. With the ball, Nooristani Omarzai leads his side’s attack with 12 wickets and is expected to challenge India’s top order early.

Conditions may favour chasing sides

Harare Sports Club has hosted 11 matches in the competition so far, with six won by teams batting second. The average first-innings total stands at 233, while the highest successful chase is 237, suggesting captains could prefer to field first after winning the toss.

Where to watch

The semi-final will be streamed live on JioHotstar, with television coverage available on the Star Sports Network.

Predicted Playing XIs

India: Aaron George, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ayush Mhatre (c), Vihaan Malhotra, Abhigyan Kundu (wk), Vedant Trivedi, RS Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan Patel, Henil Patel, Deepesh Devendran

Afghanistan: Khalid Ahmadzai, Osman Sadat, Faisal Shinowzada, Uzairullah Niazai, Mahboob Khan (c & wk), Azizullah Miakhil, Nooristani Omarzai, Abdul Aziz, Roohullah Arab, Wahidullah Zadran, Aqil Khan