No team had ever chased a target as high as 311 at the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup before, but on Wednesday in Harare, India made it look like a walk in the park. A magnificent hundred from Aaron George and a blistering opening salvo from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi saw India pull off a record chase and beat Afghanistan by seven wickets in the second semi-final.
Faisal Khan and Uzairullah Niazai had each reached three figures for Afghanistan as they made 310 for four from their 50 overs. In the run chase, George was the star of the show, scoring a sensational 115. Although he could not quite see India home, the job was effectively done as they sealed a date with England in Friday’s final with 8.5 overs to spare.
After winning the toss, Afghanistan elected to bat, with Khalid Ahmadzai (31) and Osman Sadat (39) starting strongly as they put on 53 for the first wicket. Osman kicked on after being joined by Faisal, with the pair adding a further 64.
The latter, who already has two fifties and a hundred to his name in the tournament, was in exquisite form, and he and Uzairullah Niazai timed their innings to perfection. Faisal hit 15 boundaries in his 110, and he and Uzairullah combined for a 148-run stand.
Even before Deepesh Devendran removed Faisal, Uzairullah had started to up the ante, going after the Indian bowling. And he ramped it up and matched his batting partner in making it to three figures, only the second time in the tournament’s history that two batters had hit centuries in the same innings of a knockout clash. With Uzairullah finishing unbeaten on 101, Afghanistan piled up 310/4.
India’s chase needed a fast start and in Sooryavanshi, they had just the man to send them on their way. The 14-year-old showed hammered four sixes in his 33 balls at the crease on his way to a blistering 68. He was given one life, when put down on 22, while George was on 20 when Wahid Zadran spilled a chance he had offered up.
Sooryavanshi brought up his half-century in 25 deliveries and had brought the required rate down to a manageable level when he top-edged one to midwicket off Nooristani Omarzai.
By that point, India had 90 on the board inside 10 overs, and the arrival of Ayush Mhatre did nothing to slow the chase. The skipper got off the mark with a six and took full advantage of good batting conditions as he and George put on 114 for the second wicket.
Mhatre (62) fell to Nooristani (2/64) with 107 still required but Vihaan Malhotra quickly settled in alongside George. He got one life when he appeared to have been caught and bowled by Abdul Aziz, only to earn a reprieve thanks to a no-ball. George finally departed for 115 off 104 deliveries with 300 on the board, but Malhotra quickly wrapped things up on his way to 38 not out.
Brief scores: Afghanistan 310/4 in 50 overs (Faisal Khan 110, Uzairullah Niazai 101 not out; Kanishk Chouhan 2/55, Deepesh Devendran 2/64) lost to India 311/3 in 41.1 overs (Aaron George 115, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 68, Ayush Mhatre 62; Nooristani Omarzai 2/64, Wahid Zadran 1/67) by 7 wickets
