The stage is set at the historic Harare Sports Club for a high-stakes encounter as five-time champions India U19 face a historic-chasing Afghanistan U19 in the second semi-final of the ICC Under 19 World Cup 2026.
While India seeks a record sixth successive final appearance, Afghanistan entes the knockouts with the momentum of a giant-killing run, looking to reach their first-ever U19 World Cup final.
India have been clinical throughout the tournament, storming into the semi-finals with an unbeaten record. They secured the top spot in Group 2 during the Super Six stage, a run punctuated by a dominant 58-run victory over arch-rivals Pakistan. The team’s primary strength lies in its exceptional all-round depth, with players like Kanishk Chouhan and skipper Ayush Mhatre consistently providing crucial breakthroughs with the ball and much-needed stability with the bat. Abhigyan Kundu has acted as the batting anchor, amassing 199 runs so far, while Henil Patel has been a force in the field, leading India’s bowling charts with 11 wickets.
Afghanistan, the tournament’s history-makers, secured their semi-final berth by finishing second in Group 1. They showed immense resilience by bouncing back from a solitary loss against Sri Lanka to dismantle Ireland by a massive 191 runs. Their campaign is built on the back of an explosive top-order batting lineup, led by Faisal Shinozada, who is in the form of his life after smashing a record-breaking 163 in the match against Ireland. While Afghanistan is traditionally known for spin, Nooristani Omarzai has changed the narrative this year, spearheading a potent pace attack with 12 wickets and proving that this side is a well-rounded threat.
IND vs AFG, U19 World Cup 2026 semi-final 2: Match Details
- Date and Time: February 4; 1:00 pm IST / 9:30 am Local time/ 7:30 am GMT
- Venue: Harare Sports Club, Harare
IND vs AFG, Head-to-Head Record in U19s
Matches played: 12 | India won: 10 | Afghanistan won: 02 | No result/Tied: 0
Harare Sports Club Pitch Report
The pitch at the Harare Sports Club for this high-stakes semi-final is expected to be slow and dry, traditionally favouring the spinners while offering some initial movement for pacers with the hard, new ball. Historically, this venue has produced a balanced contest where batters can score freely once they settle into the rhythm of the bounce, but run-scoring generally becomes more challenging as the surface slows down in the middle overs. With an average first-innings score hovering between 240 and 260, the toss will be crucial, especially with scattered clouds and possible thundershowers in the forecast potentially influencing overhead conditions.
Squads
India: Ayush Mhatre (c), R.S. Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, D. Deepesh, Mohamed Enaan, Aaron George, Abhigyan Kundu, Kishan Kumar Singh, Vihaan Malhotra, Udhav Mohan, Henil Patel, Khilan A. Patel, Harvansh Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Vedant Trivedi
Afghanistan: Mahboob Khan (c), Khalid Ahmadzai, Osman Sadat, Faisal Khan, Uzairullah Niazai, Aziz Mia Khil, Nazif Amiri, Khatir Stanikzai, Nooristani, Abdul Aziz, Salam Khan, Wahid Zadran, Zaitullah Shaheen, Rohullah Arab, Aqil Khan Obaid. Reserves: Aqil Khan, Fahim Qasemi, Izat Noor
IND vs AFG, U19 World Cup 2026 semi-final 2: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- India wins the toss and fields first
- Afghanistan powerplay score: 40-50
- Afghanistan total score: 250-260
Case 2:
- Afghanistan wins the toss and fields first
- India powerplay score: 50-60
- India total score: 295-305
Match result: India to win the contest.
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