India Under-19 will face Afghanistan Under-19 in the second semi-final of the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026 at Harare Sports Club in Harare on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. The winner of this match will face England Under-19 in the final on February 6 at the same venue.
Five-time champions India are unbeaten in the tournament and are overwhelming favorites to reach their tenth U19 World Cup final. Afghanistan, appearing in their third U19 World Cup semi-final (after 2018 and 2022), are chasing their maiden final appearance at any major ICC tournament. This promises to be an exciting contest between India’s all-round strength and Afghanistan’s explosive batting led by record-breaker Faisal Shinozada.
India U19 vs Afghanistan U19 Match Preview
The second semi-final of the U19 World Cup 2026 features unbeaten India against an impressive Afghanistan side that has shown remarkable consistency throughout the tournament.
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | India U19 vs Afghanistan U19, 2nd Semi-Final |
| Date | 04 February 2026 |
| Time | 1:00 PM IST (7:30 AM Local) |
| Toss | 12:30 PM IST |
| Venue | Harare Sports Club, Harare, Zimbabwe |
| Tournament | ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 |
| Stakes | Winner faces England U19 in Final (Feb 6) |
Pitch Report
The Harare Sports Club pitch is a balanced surface that provides assistance to both batters and bowlers. The pitch generally offers consistent bounce and pace, making it an excellent setting for competitive matches.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Type | Balanced with good bounce and pace |
| Pacers | Get movement early, especially with the new ball |
| Spinners | Find grip and turn as the match progresses |
| Average ODI 1st Innings Score | Around 229 |
| Batting First vs Chasing | 106 wins chasing vs 91 wins batting first in ODIs |
| Key Factor | The ball comes onto the bat easily due to the solid surface |
The pitch in Harare has shown good behavior throughout the tournament, with competitive totals being posted and defended. Spinners can expect some turn in the middle overs.
Weather Report
Harare in early February experiences warm, wet summer conditions. February is part of the rainy season, with afternoon thunderstorms possible.
| Condition | Details |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 20-27°C during match hours |
| Sky | Partly cloudy with chances of passing showers |
| Humidity | Around 88% |
| Wind | 13-18 km/h |
| Overall | Some possibility of rain interruption |
Toss Prediction
Given the balanced nature of the pitch and the historical data showing a slight advantage to chasing sides at Harare Sports Club (106 wins vs 91 in ODIs), the captain winning the toss may opt to bowl first. However, with afternoon showers possible, batting first could also be a viable option to avoid DLS complications.
India U19 vs Afghanistan U19 Head-to-Head Records
India holds a dominant record against Afghanistan in Youth ODIs, with only two losses in 12 meetings.
| Category | Stats |
|---|---|
| Total Youth ODI Meetings | 12 |
| India U19 Wins | 10 |
| Afghanistan U19 Wins | 2 |
| U19 World Cup Meetings | First meeting in a World Cup |
| Last Meeting | 2024 Tri-series in South Africa – India won by 9 wickets (AFG: 88 all out) |
Both of Afghanistan’s wins against India came in a bilateral series in 2019. India has won 10 of 12 Youth ODI matches, including a dominant 9-wicket victory in their last meeting, in which Afghanistan were bowled out for just 88.
Dream11 Team For India U19 vs Afghanistan U19
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Top Picks For The Match
| Player | Team | Role | Why Pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faisal Shinozada | AFG | Batter | Tournament’s 2nd highest scorer (325 runs), record-breaking 163 vs IRE |
| Abhigyan Kundu | IND | WK-Batter | India’s leading scorer (183+ runs), avg 91.50, consistent performer |
| Nooristani Omarzai | AFG | Fast Bowler | 12 wickets at 11.58, devastating 4/16 vs West Indies |
| Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | IND | Batter | 196 runs, highest SR (158.18) among active Youth ODI batters with 500+ runs |
| Vihaan Malhotra | IND | All-rounder | 172 runs including 109*, 4 wickets with off-breaks |
| Ayush Mhatre | IND | Captain | 6 wickets in last 2 games (3/14, 3/21), part-time off-break |
| Abdul Aziz | AFG | Bowler | 3/21 vs IRE, removed both openers |
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