History meets Opportunity - We are down to the second semi-final in the 2026 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, where two Asian challengers lock horns at the Harare Sports Club. India, the most successful side in men's Under-19 World Cup history with five titles, are eyeing a sixth crown and a sixth successive final. Standing in their way are Afghanistan, chasing not only their maiden title but also a first-ever appearance in an Under-19 World Cup final. Afghanistan's journey so far - Mahboob Khan-led Afghanistan were placed in a tough group alongside South Africa, West Indies, and Tanzania, but they came through it dominantly. They won all three of their matches, topped the group, and carried four points into the Super Six stage. Their only blemish in the tournament came against Sri Lanka, but they bounced back in style. A massive 191-run win in their next outing against Ireland sealed qualification, with Afghanistan finishing second in Group 1, ahead of Sri Lanka on the standings. With the bat, left-hander Faisal Khan has carried the bulk of the scoring. Osman Sadat has also contributed important runs, helping offset an underwhelming campaign from Khalid Ahmadzai. After scoring 74 in the tournament opener, Ahmadzai has managed a highest score of just 34 across the following four matches. Afghanistan are traditionally known for their spin strength, but in this tournament, it has been their pace attack that has done most of the damage. The pacers have picked up 25 wickets so far, compared to 14 by the spinners. Nooristani has spearheaded the pace attack and has been well supported by Khatir Stanikzai and Abdul Aziz. On the spin front, Wahid Zadran and Rohullah Arab may not have many wickets to show, but they have been economical and effective in controlling the game. India's road to the semis - Ayush Mhatre's side is unbeaten in this edition so far. They may have shown a few cracks along the way, but they have still found ways to get the job done. They began their campaign with a win over the USA, followed by a hard-fought victory against Bangladesh, before brushing aside New Zealand to top the group. Zimbabwe were unable to put up much of a fight either, while Pakistan pushed them hard, but India once again managed to come out on top to finish first in Group 2. At the top of the order, India have experimented with their combinations. The first two games saw Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi open, but in the next three matches, Aaron George partnered Sooryavanshi, with Mhatre moving down to number three. That shuffle has not quite paid dividends. Vaibhav has been the lone standout at the top with 196 runs, while both Mhatre and George have only managed double-digit tallies so far. The middle order has come to their rescue, with Abhigyan Kundu, Vihaan Malhotra, and Vedant Trivedi stepping up with timely contributions. With the ball, Henil Patel has stood out, while fellow quick R.S. Ambrish has also shown promise. D. Deepesh, however, is yet to make a mark. Khilan A. Patel has led the spin bowling charge, and India's depth is evident in the number of batting options who can also roll their arm over, with the likes of Malhotra and Mhatre chipping in when required. Form (Last 5 completed youth ODIs, most recent first) - Afghanistan - WLWWW | India - WWWWW. Does anyone have the edge? We don't think so. On paper, India might appear to hold a slight advantage, largely because of the exposure they have had to high-pressure environments in the lead-up to the World Cup. Be it the IPL, various overseas tours, or the domestic circuit, several players in this squad have already been tested in demanding situations. That said, Afghanistan will draw plenty of confidence from their exploits in India last year during the triangular series involving India A and India B. Those Indian sides featured multiple players who are part of the current Under-19 World Cup squad, and Afghanistan won three games out of four matches to qualify for the final, which eventually ended in a no result. With experience on one side and belief on the other, this semi-final promises to be a true contest of temperament, where execution on the day, more than reputation, could decide who books a place in the final.
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