Harare: Aaron George struck a neatly-paced century as India saw off Afghanistan in the U19 World Cup semi-final in Harare by pulling off the biggest chase in tournament history to win by seven wickets on Wednesday.
India, the five-time champions who last triumphed in 2022 and lost to Australia in the final two years ago, will face England in the title clash in Harare on Friday.
Opener George scored 115 (104b, 15×4, 2×6), anchoring India’s chase after Afghanistan, led by centurions Faisal Shinozada (110 – 93b, 15×4) and Uzairullah Niazai (101- 86b, 12×4, 2×6), had posted 310/4 at the Harare Sports Club ground.
George had not got going in the previous games, and although the pitch looked good for batting, the chase required a disciplined approach. He played the support role as Vaibhav Suryavanshi produced another rousing innings to further his image as a special talent.
Suryavanshi lashed 68 off 33 balls (9×4, 4×6), dominating the opening partnership of 90 runs, before a miscue ended his stay. However, George and skipper Ayush Mhatre (62 – 59b, 5×4, 4×6) raised a second wicket stand of 114 runs in the next 16.5 overs.
Mhatre fell after he skied a flick off Nooristani Omarzai to midwicket where Osman Sadat, running back and diving, completed a brilliant catch. The same bowler-fielder combination had also ended Suryavanshi’s innings.
Indian batters continued to apply themselves as George then joined hands with Vihaan Malhotra (38*), the pair adding 96 runs together. The opener completed his first century of the tournament, and although he could not stay on to see off the win, India were only 11 runs from victory, which they achieved with 8.5 overs to spare.
“I was very grateful for the opportunity, especially in such a crucial game. I knew I was batting well, so the conversion definitely mattered,” George said after the game.
Afghanistan, who had an excellent tournament after finishing second in their Super Sixes group with just one loss against group toppers Australia, demonstrated that they would be no pushovers against a strong India.
They elected to bat and openers Khalid Ahmadzai (31) and Osman Sadat (39) put on 53 runs. Osman added 64 more runs with Faisal for the second wicket. Faisal, who already had two fifties and a hundred in the tournament, and Uzairullah Niazai both played solid knocks and raised 148 runs for the third wicket.
Pacer Deepesh Devendran removed Faisal while Uzairullah remained unbeaten, the pair notching up the first instance of two batters scoring centuries in the same innings of a knockout clash.
Suryavanshi has dominated all bowlers in the tournaments, his sequence of scores reading 2, 72, 40, 52, 30, 68. Although a triple-figure knock is missing, the 14-year-old’s awesome shot-making once again set India’s chase up perfectly.
He got a life on 22 when Wahid Zadran spilled a chance, but Suryavanshi didn’t slow down, reaching his half-century in 25 balls. He fell after top-edging Nooristani Omarzai to midwicket.
Mhatre got off the mark with a six to midwicket and cashed in on the good batting conditions. Vihaan Malhotra received a reprieve after being caught and bowled by Abdul Aziz off a no-ball.
Mhatre said good batting conditions made India confident they could chase down the total. “Suryavanshi played a major role in the chase. Scoring 90 runs in the first 10 overs released all the pressure, making it much easier for the rest of us,” he said. “George is a classy batsman. He didn’t have many scores leading into this, but was batting well in the nets and we were confident that if he played his natural game, he would come good.”
Brief scores: Afghanistan 310/4 (Faisal Khan 110, Uzairullah Niazai 101*; Kanishk Chouhan 2/55, Deepesh Devendran 2/64). India 311/3 in 41.1 overs (Aaron George 115, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 68, Ayush Mhatre 62; Nooristani Omarzai 2/64). India won by 7 wickets
