India (IND) vs Afghanistan (AFG) Highlights, U19 World Cup 2026 semifinal: India beat Afghanistan by seven wickets on Wednesday at the Harare Sports Club to qualify for the final, where they will face England.
Hi and welcome to India Today's live coverage of India vs Afghanistan, U19 World Cup semi-final in Harare.
Aaron George is closing in on his hundred as India sit less than 70 runs away from a semi-final victory. With 19 overs remaining, India hold a commanding position, and George will be keen to capitalize on the situation, steering his side closer to a dominant finish.
Aaron George and Ayush Mhatre have been coasting along as the required run rate dips below 4.50. With nine wickets in hand, it’s a near‑smooth cruise for India from here, allowing them to play freely and steadily build a commanding total.
This has been a sublime effort from Ayush Mhatre and Aaron George so far. Just when it felt like the pressure might start to build, the pair showed impressive composure, calmly working their way through the tricky phase. They made full use of the fast start, subtly dialing things back to settle in, without ever losing momentum. Now well set, both batters look increasingly confident, striking the ball cleanly and keeping the scoreboard ticking along at a healthy pace, all while avoiding unnecessary risks.
The start has been good from the Indian unit. But the strike-rotation has dipped down since Suryavanshi's dismissal. The boundaries can come in when they can but the lack of singles will allow the bowler to get settled which is a massive concern at the moment.
This has been a strong start for the Indian captain, Ayush Mhatre. But the question is whether he can keep up. At the end of the day, a good delivery is all it takes and with Inida needing around 200 runs more, perhaps he could look to take things easy for now. India cannot afford another wicket here.
Just when it felt like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was dragging his team single-handedly towards an unbelievable chase, the moment arrived that silenced the stadium. Nooristani Omarzai finally got his reward, and it was the biggest wicket of the night. Banging in another short delivery just outside off stump, Omarzai tempted Vaibhav into going for the pull once more. The batter obliged, but this time it didn’t come off the middle. A thick top edge ballooned high into the night sky, and Osman Sadat settled under it at mid-wicket to take a straightforward catch. The release of emotion was instant — Osman slammed the ball into the turf in frustration, a clear sign of the damage Vaibhav had already inflicted. That reaction summed up the impact Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made in a matter of minutes. The youngster stood still for a second, visibly gutted, covering his face before beginning the long walk back. He knew how close he had taken his side. Still, it was a knock to remember. Vaibhav’s 68 off just 33 balls, laced with nine fours and four towering sixes, completely shifted the momentum of what looked like a near-impossible, record chase to reach the final. He took the attack to the bowlers, absorbed the pressure, and gave his team genuine belief.
Oh dear me! Another drop!
And this time it is Aaron George. This is going to hurt Afghanistan heavily.
This has turned into a disdainful hitting spree.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has reached his half century in just 24 balls. And he signals to the dressing room - do not worry, I am here.
Afghanistan are probably going to regret that dropped catch. Vaibhav is in the mood and has started to make it pay. The left-hander is taking the aggressive route and is looking to dominate the bowlers. Expect some big shots now.
What a let-off for India! Abdul Azaiz will be absolutely gutted as Vaibhav Suryavanshi gets a lifeline early in his innings.
Uzairullah spills a simple chance at point, and those are the moments that can change games. Afghanistan will be hoping it doesn’t come back to haunt them.
Suryavanshi survived a similar drop against Pakistan but couldn’t capitalise then — this time, India will be praying he makes it count.
Much-needed momentum for India as Vaibhav Suryavanshi goes after Wahidullah Zadran, smashing two crisp boundaries before launching a massive six.
Exactly the kind of over India were desperate for in this steep chase. The intent is clear, the tempo picking up. Afghanistan, though, will be eyeing an early breakthrough to put the brakes on this surge.
The pressure is right up there for the opening pair of Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Aaron George as India stare at a daunting chase of 311.
It’s a massive ask, and the onus is firmly on the openers to get India flying early. Suryavanshi, in particular, is not one to be subdued — he thrives on intent and aggression — and if India are to stay in the hunt, he must set the tone from the very first over.
Afghanistan have scored 310 runs on the back of Faisal Shinozada and Uzairullah Niazai. Two very different knocks. Faisal was busy from the get go, while Uzairullah took his time and only blasted the ball in the final 10 overs of the match.
India now need to chase down record runs in the semi-final of the U19 World Cup.
That is a huge mistake from Abhigyan Kundu. And hilariously. And it helps Uzairullah get to his hundred.
A poor moment from Abhigyan and that kind of culminates the day that has been for India in the field. Abhigyan gets the ball in his hands. It is s good throw. Abhigyan swings his hands, tries to get rid of the stumps, but he is too far off.
Abhigyan takes off the bail in his second try, but by that time Uzairullah is in and has completed his hundred.
Uzairullah Niazai is going all guns blazing, and here lies a real chance for him to march to his hundred. This has been a brilliant counterattack, full of intent and authority.
While Faisal Shinozada was at the crease, Niazai was content playing second fiddle, but with his partner gone, he has taken charge as the senior man, dictating terms.
India, meanwhile, are slipping deeper into the hole, struggling to stem the flow as Afghanistan tighten their grip on the contest.
Oh, what a relief for India. Deepesh Devendran finally breaks through, removing Faisal Shinozada, who has been stupendous once again in this competition.
It’s a crucial wicket, but the danger is far from over. Uzairullah Niazai, after a sedate start, has now cut loose and is in full flow.
India desperately need his wicket too if they are to wrest back some momentum. A reminder for the bowlers—Afghanistan still have seven wickets in hand, and plenty of firepower left.
At the 40-over mark, Afghanistan looked set for a total in the 260–270 range, but Uzairullah Niazai and Faisal Shinozada have produced a spell of stupendous cricket in the final phase.
The duo have piled on 53 runs in the last five overs, completely shifting the momentum. Afghanistan now look relentless, finding boundaries at will and exploiting every error.
The Indian bowlers, meanwhile, are running out of answers, struggling to contain the onslaught as the game slips rapidly away from them.
Uzairullah Niazai has taken RS Ambrish to the cleaners, smashing 21 runs off the 44th over and well and truly upping the ante for the Afghans. With momentum firmly on their side, Afghanistan will now dare to dream of even touching 300.
The partnership has swelled to 125 runs, and the shift in momentum is evident—Indian bowlers are feeling the heat, lines are going astray, and the pressure is starting to tell at the death.
There’s simply no stopping Faisal Shinozada in this U19 World Cup. The young batter has brought up a superb hundred off just 86 balls, underlining his class and maturity well beyond his years.
The way he constructs his innings makes him look like a future Afghanistan international, if not in the near future. But the job isn’t done yet.
If Faisal bats through till the end, he could easily add 20–30 crucial runs to the total—runs that might make all the difference compared to an early dismissal at this stage.
India continue to struggle for wickets as Faisal Shinozada and Uzairullah Niazai refuse to let any pressure build on the Afghans. The pair have stitched together a solid 100-run partnership off 108 deliveries, combining composure with smart strike rotation.
They’ve absorbed everything India have thrown at them so far, calmly resetting the innings. With eight overs still left, this is the danger period for the bowlers—both batters are well set and will be eyeing the big hits, looking to shift gears and push Afghanistan towards a strong finish.
The partnership between Uzairullah Niazai and Faisal Shinozada has already yielded 82 runs for the third wicket, pushing the Afghans closer to the 200 mark.
While Faisal has taken the attacking route and kept the scoreboard ticking, the onus is now on Uzairullah to shift gears as well. With 10 overs left, this is the phase where both batters need to cash in.
A bit more intent from Uzairullah—rotating the strike and picking his moments to go big—could help Afghanistan finish strongly and turn a good platform into a commanding total.
Faizal Shinozada, now into his 80s, continues to impress in the ongoing tournament. His consistency has been nothing short of remarkable, making him the only batter to cross the 400-run mark, a feat that underlines both his class and endurance.
Shinozada isn’t about flashy stroke-play; he’s built for the long haul. In that sense, his temperament closely mirrors that of Ibrahim Zadran—calm, composed, and unflappable under pressure.
Meanwhile, do you guys know that Uzairullah has become a social media phenomenon?
That's mostly down to how he looks.
That is a very big chance missed!
And it has happened due to a lack of composure from Deepesh, who probably could not even believe the way the chance had fallen into his hands.
After Deepesh misses, Abhigyan Kundu hits the stumps with his gloves on. But by that time Uzairullah had entered the crease.
There is a concussion test for Khilan Patel, who put in a dive at third man and managed to bang his head on the ground. There is a slight delay in play.
Faisal Shinozada, batting at No.3 for Afghanistan, completed an aggressive fifty. While other batters are hovering around the strike-rates of 60-70 at the start of their innings, he has consistently been above 100.
Faisal Shinozada's fifty has meant that he has not let Afghanistan slump at all. He is one of the top scorers in the tournament and in the running for the player of the tournament award.
This guy has an impeccable technique. Plays with soft hands and has the ability to hit strong square cuts.
That is a big breakthrough for India. Kanishk Chouhan strikes and gets an important wicket of Osman Sadat.
And it is a very industrious wicket. Let me explain why.
Kanishk bowls the delivery from much behind the bowling crease. Osman, who thought that the ball was a full one, is drawn into the shot. He lifts the ball up in the air, which goes straight into the hands of long on.
After straying down the leg side on the first ball, it was good recovery from RS Ambrish. He drops the ball on the fuller length and asks the batter to come forward.
The in-form Khalid gets a big edge in the penultimate ball, but the ball falls short of deep third.
Good start from India. You can tell that the conditions are going to be testy in the first 10 overs.