India will take on Afghanistan in the second semi-final of the ongoing U19 World Cup 2026 on Wednesday, February 4, at the Harare Sports Club. The Ayush Mhatre-led side is currently unbeaten in the tournament and has defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by 56 runs in their final Super Six clash and will carry that confidence for their clash against Afghanistan.
Ahead of that, the form of captain Mhatre is currently under the scanner. He has scored just 99 runs in five matches, which is not enough, especially from a captain, whose primary role is to lead by example. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who arrived at the tournament with plenty of expectations, did moderately well, scoring two half-centuries, but the 14-year-old has all the qualities of going berserk, which was missing in this tournament.
Abhigyan Kundu, in the meantime, has been a force to reckon with. The keeper-batter is batting lower down the order but has emerged as India’s leading run-scorer this season. Another massive positive has been Vihaan Malhotra’s form. The 19-year-old scored a century against hosts Zimbabwe earlier in the tournament and has also been very effective with the ball.
When it comes to Afghanistan, they have played some good cricket in the tournament but their last three matches were against Ireland, Sri Lanka and Tanzania. Out of which, the Mahboob Khan-led side defeated Ireland and Tanzania rather comfortably, suffering a defeat to Sri Lanka. A lack of competitive games could bother them in the semis. However, the Asian side will definitely back themselves, especially given the form of Faisal Shinozada, who scored 325 runs so far and is the second-leading run-scorer of the tournament.
U19 World Cup 2026 Broadcast Details
When to watch India vs Afghanistan in U19 World Cup 2026?
India vs Afghanistan will be played on Wednesday, February 4.
At what time does India vs Afghanistan begin?
The India vs Afghanistan match will begin at 01:00 PM IST.
Where is India vs Afghanistan being held?
The India vs Afghanistan match will be played in Harare Sports Club, Harare.
Where can you watch the India vs Afghanistan on TV in India?
India vs Afghanistan will be broadcast live on TV in Star Sports network.
Where can you watch the India vs Afghanistan online in India?
Indian fans can watch India vs Afghanistan live on JioStar.