ICC U-19 World Cup, England vs Afghanistan, Super League Semi-Final 1: Highlights

We are back for the chase! The players of England Under-19 have made their way out to the middle. Mohammad Ishaq and Nangeyalia Kharote to open the batting for Afghanistan Under-19. Joshua Boyden will start proceedings with the ball. Here we go...

... CHASE TIME ...

Right then! Afghanistan Under-19 need 231 runs from 47 overs (DLS method) to create history and make it to the finals! England Under-19 batters have done their job and it is now upto their bowlers to defend the target. The pitch certainly has something in it for the bowlers and England Under-19 would be confident going into the chase. Who will come out on top and seal a spot in the finals? Do join us for the chase to find that out.

George Thomas is up for a quick chat. He says there were few wise words from the other partners and that helped him. Adds that the wicket started turning more as the game progressed and the spinners are playing a key role here. Tells that he backs his bowlers to defend this out.

Afghanistan Under-19 started their innings with pace bowlers and they did manage to get the early breakthrough but were also taken to cleaners in the Powerplay 1. It was just a matter of time before the spinners would be introduced into the attack and they were right on the money from the first ball. Nangeyalia Kharote got the prized scalp of Tom Prest and Noor Ahmad, who also dropped a couple of catches, got rid of Rew and Thomas. Izharulhaq Naveed also bowled well and he also managed to get into the wickets column. The spinners were exceptional right throughout the innings but it was Afghanistan Under-19 pacers who leaked a lot of runs and gave away their momentum in the end. All in all, it was a decent bowling performance from Afghanistan Under-19 but England Under-19 would be happy with what they have posted on the board, especially after where they were at the halfway stage.

England Under-19 did lose their southpaw, Jacob Bethell early on in the innings but it was George Thomas who took on Afghanistan Under-19 bowlers in the Powerplay. They lost their skipper, Tom Prest for just 18 runs and they lost wickets in quick succession after that. They were put on the back foot by Afghanistan but it was the partnership of Rehan Ahmed and George Bell which steadied things for the English side. They had a sedate start once the play resumed after the rain break and also lost the wicket of Ahmed but it was the aggressive Alex Horton and George Bell who scored at a brisk rate in the end overs which ensured that England Under-19 end on a high. They stitched together an unbeaten partnership of 95 runs off just 71 balls and this could prove to be a match-winning partnership for England Under-19.

Great recovery in the end from England Under-19 to go well-past the 200-run mark! Afghanistan Under-19 had things under their control for the majority of the innings but they will be slightly disappointed after leaking some runs at the fag end and allowing England Under-19 to get back into this contest, where at one stage, they were struggling at 106/5.

FOUR! Into the gap! Fifty as well for Alex Horton! What an innings from him as well. A length ball, on middle. Horton pulls it into the gap towards deep mid-wicket for a boundary. England Under-19 end at 231/6.

FOUR! What a shot! A length ball, outside off. Horton is early on his pull but does well to hit it wide of the fielder there at deep square leg. Boundary.

SIX! BANG! What a final over this is turning out to be! A fuller delivery, on off. Horton stays back and tonks it over long off for a biggie. He moves into the 40s.

A yorker, on middle. Horton works it to long on and the batters take a couple of runs. Really good running this from these two. Giving their all.

A full ball, on middle. Horton heaves it to deep mid-wicket for a single. The fielder there throws it quickly to the keeper who comes forward to grab it but fumbles in doing so. Another run stolen.

Slower, length and on middle. Bell hits it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Just a single! Length and on middle. Bell reverse hits it to third man for a single.

NO BALL! Sami hurls and serves a full toss, down the leg side. Bell swings across but fails to connect. The keeper dives and saves a certain boundary. No ball given for height. Free-hit coming up.

A yorker, just outside off. Bell looks to heave but misses it. The ball whizzes past the off stump.

FOUR! Cracked away! Length and outside off. Bell makes room and slashes it over covers and it races away to the fence.

Fuller and on middle. Horton digs it out to mid-wicket for a single.

Short in length, on off. Horton pulls it wide of long on and takes another couple.

Length and outside off, pulled away along the ground for a single. Fifty for George Bell, the best possible finish England would have asked for.