India defeated Afghanistan by seven wickets in Harare on Wednesday to advance to the ICC U19 World Cup final. Aaron George’s silky century blended in well with the explosive fifties of IPL players Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre.
India will now play England in this Friday’s summit clash. As a testament to the BCCI’s organized junior cricket program that finds true potential, it will be India’s tenth final in the U19 championship.
After Afghanistan amassed 310/4, with hundreds from Faisal Shinozada (110) and Uzairullah Niazal (101), India appeared to have a difficult task ahead of them.
However, India easily achieved the target in 41.1 overs, which was also their best chase in the U19 World Cup. With a hundred of flawless paces and shot placements, Aaron (115, 104b) spearheaded the run chase.
Suryavanshi (68, 33b) and Mhatre (62, 59b) gave him enough of support as India consistently maintained a run-rate above seven. With a barrage of boundaries, mostly off off-spinner Wahidullah Zadran, Suryavanshi, true to his reputation, gave India’s innings a flying start.
When Niazal dropped the left-hander off Abdul Aziz on 22 at point, there was also a bit of luck involved. However, Suryavanshi batted quite strongly after that lapse, even hitting pacer Nooristani Omarzai with a spectacular helicopter shot six.
During his innings, Suryavanshi made several attempts to play the pull shot, which ultimately proved to be his downfall when an aimless hoick off Omarzai wound up in Osman Sadat’s hands inside the circle. After the opening wicket partnership ended at 93, Aaron and Mhatre combined to score a further 114 runs in just over 17 overs, propelling India over 200 in the 27th over.
Mhatre, who has been having trouble finding his rhythm in this tournament, displayed his entire shot selection when he made a fifty at the right time. As Mhatre took all the chances to keep his team much ahead of the asking rate, Aaron once again performed the anchor job flawlessly.
Aaron was unfazed by Mhatre’s dismissal and continued to bat calmly, as he had been throughout this innings. In addition to his situational awareness and unflappability, Aaron’s batting was visually stunning.
The right-hander batted with rarely seen elan at this age of range hitting, and not a single shot was hit in anger. Even his lofted strokes that got him sixes were stress-free, and his cover drives off Zadran and Roohullah Arab were a sight to behold.
He seemed to flow effortlessly into the shot, high elbow and head still, and the maximum he struck over long-on off Omarzai would not look out of place in a cricket museum. Aaron brought up his hundred in 95 balls with an exquisite tuck past mid-wicket for four.
Aaron and Vihan Malhotra added 96 for the third wicket as India cruised to victory. But Aaron was unable to remain long enough to witness his side coming into contact with the tape.
Afghanistan registered a tough total earlier, with Shinozada and Niazai leading the way with outstanding hundreds.
As the Indian bowlers failed to take wickets at regular intervals, Faisal led the way with 110 off 93 balls, while Niazai dazzled with an undefeated 101-run performance off 86 deliveries. Afghanistan chose to bat, and they got off to a strong start with 53 runs from Sadat and Khalid Ahmadzai until bowler Deepesh Devendran made the first breakthrough in the thirteenth over.
Ahmadzai got a small inside edge as he shaped up to drive the length ball, which went through to wicketkeeper Abhigyan Kundu. Ahmadzai made 31 in 39 balls. Then, Faisal and Sadat put together a solid total of 64 runs for the second wicket.
But in the beginning of the 25th over, spin-bowling all-rounder Kanishk Chouhan struck for India by catching Sadat at long-off following the batter’s careless shot. Sadat used 70 balls to reach 39.
