Unbeaten up to now within the match, a assured and all-round India shall be overwhelming favourites in opposition to Afghanistan within the semifinal of the ICC Underneath-19 World Cup in Harare on Wednesday (February 4, 2026).
India are essentially the most profitable group within the historical past of the occasion, having annexed the title 5 occasions (2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022), adopted by Australia, who’ve gained the trophy 4 occasions.
Come Wednesday (February 4, 2026), India will look to take one step ahead in direction of a file sixth title.
India have had a fantastic run within the match, having gained all their 5 matches fairly comfortably, together with a 58-run win over arch-rivals Pakistan within the Tremendous Six stage.
Afghanistan too has had a reasonably good match, profitable 4 out of their 5 video games, their solely loss coming in opposition to Sri Lanka by 4 wickets.
Going by type and total composition, India will maintain an edge over the Afghans within the knock-out recreation.
Wicket-keeper batter Abhigyan Kundu has been the star performer for India with the bat because the left-hander has up to now amassed 199 runs from 5 video games with two half centuries to his title.
Massive-hitting opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi (196 runs in 5 matches with 2 fifties) too has been in good type however the group administration would need him to transform his half-centuries into three-figure scores.
All-rounder Vihaan Malhotra (172 runs from 5 video games) is the opposite Indian batter to look out for. He struck the lone century (109 not out) in opposition to Zimbabwe in group phases.
Skipper Ayush Mhatre has been according to the ball in hand, choosing up six wickets along with his off-break from 5 video games however there may be room for enchancment on the batting entrance. He managed simply 99 runs from 5 video games with 53 being his highest.
Opener Aaron Geroge’s type, nevertheless, is a explanation for concern for India because the right-handed batter might handle solely 46 runs from three outings.
The Indian bowling is spearheaded by right-arm quick bowlers Henil Patel and RS Ambrish. Each the pacers have been phenomenal upfront, scalping 11 and wickets respectively.
The duo would search for in a position assist from left-arm orthodox spinner Khilan Patel, who too has shone vivid with eight scalps from 5 video games.
Mhatre and Malhotra, who picked up 5 wickets up to now within the match along with his off-breaks apart from scoring India’s lone century, can even look to contribute with the ball.
Groups (from):
India U-19: Aaron George, Abhigyan Kundu, Harvansh Pangalia, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Vedant Trivedi, Ayush Mhatre (c), Vihaan Malhotra, RS Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan Patel, Deepesh Devendran, Henil Patel, Mohamed Enaan, Udhav Mohan, Kishan Singh.
Afghanistan U-19: Mahboob Khan (c), Azizullah Miakhil, Faisal Shinozada, Khalid Ahmadzai, Osman Sadat, Uzairullah Niazai, Abdul Aziz, Aqil Khan, Khatir Stanikzai, Nazifullah Amiri, Nooristani Omarzai, Roohullah Arab, Salam Khan, Wahidullah Zadran, Zaitullah Shaheen.
Match begins at 1:00 PM IST.
Revealed – February 03, 2026 02:41 pm IST
