India have once again shown their strength in Under-19 cricket by reaching the World Cup final for the 10th time. In the second semi-final match played on Wednesday at the Harare Sports Club, India defeated Afghanistan by 7 wickets. With this win, India booked a place in the final, where they will face England on February 6.
Afghanistan won the toss and decided to bat first. They scored a strong total of 310 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in 50 overs. Faisal Shinozada played a brilliant innings and scored 110 runs. Uzairullah Niazai also impressed with an unbeaten 101 runs. Their centuries helped Afghanistan put pressure on the Indian team. For India, bowlers Deepesh Devendran and Kanishk Chauhan took two wickets each and tried to control the scoring.
Chasing a big target of 311 runs, India started confidently. Opener Aaron George led the chase with an excellent century, scoring 115 runs. Vaibhav Suryavanshi supported him well with 68 runs. Captain Ayush Mhatre then played a calm and responsible innings, scoring 62 runs to guide the team towards victory. India reached the target in just 41.1 overs, losing only 3 wickets.
This chase became a special moment in the tournament’s history. It was the highest successful run chase ever by India in the Under-19 World Cup. It also became the highest target chased in Youth One Day International cricket. The match produced a total of 620 runs, which is the highest combined score in a Youth ODI match between India and Afghanistan. The previous record was 521 runs, set in a match played in Dubai on December 27, 2021.
With this convincing win, India move into the final with great confidence. The strong performances by young players show the depth and future promise of Indian cricket.
