The India U19 team is preparing for another final, marking their 10th appearance in this tournament’s history. They secured their place by defeating Afghanistan U19 by 7 wickets while chasing a target of 311 runs. Aaron George was the standout performer, scoring 115 off 104 balls, leading the team to a comfortable win. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and captain Ayush Mhatre also contributed with half-centuries.
India reached the final after achieving a record chase, setting the record for the highest successful chase in a knockout match in U19 World Cup history, as well as India’s highest chase in Youth ODIs.
Afghanistan U19 batted first and put up a strong performance, scoring 310 runs for 4 wickets in their 50 overs during the semi-final. Faisal Shinozada and Azizullah Miakhil scored 110 and 101* respectively, contributing to a challenging total. Kanish Chouhan and Deepesh Devendran were the only successful bowlers for India, taking two wickets each.
The chase was propelled by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who scored 68 runs off 33 balls, hitting 9 fours and 4 sixes. The partnership between George and Sooryavanshi produced 90 runs for the first wicket in just 9.3 overs.
After Sooryavanshi was out, captain Ayush Mhatre steadied the innings with a composed 62 runs from 59 balls. However, it was Aaron George’s day as he scored his first century of the World Cup, enhancing his confidence ahead of the final against England.
India and England will meet on Friday for the U19 World Cup final. India has won this tournament 5 times, while England has won just once. India’s most recent title came in 2022 when they defeated England by 4 wickets in the final. England last won the tournament in 1988. With both teams eager for victory, the stage is set for an exciting match.
