Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. (photo/ICC) NEW DELHI: India reached the final of the ICC Under-19 World Cup after beating Afghanistan by seven wickets in Harare on Wednesday, riding on the table from Aaron George and half-centuries from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre. India will face England in the final on Friday. It will be India’s tenth appearance in the U19 World Cup finals.Chasing 311, India completed the target in 41.1 overs to record their highest successful chase in the history of the tournament. Aaron George anchored the innings with 115 off 104 balls while Sooryavanshi scored 68 off 33 balls and Mhatre made 62 off 59 deliveries. India maintained a rate of more than seven runs per over for most of the chase.
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Afghanistan had earlier posted 310 for four after being asked to bat. The whole was built over centuries by Faisal Shinozada and Uzairullah Niazal. Faisal scored 110 off 93 balls while Niazal remained unbeaten on 101 off 86 balls as the Indian bowlers found it difficult to take wickets regularly.India started the chase aggressively with Sooryavanshi setting the tone at the top. He scored freely against Wahidullah Zadran and was dismissed by Niazal for 22 off Abdul Aziz. Sooryavanshi continued the attack and also hit pacer Nooristani Omarzai for a six. His innings ended when an attempted shot outside Omarzai resulted in Osman Sadat being caught inside the circle. The opening stand finished in 93rd.After Sooryavanshi’s dismissal, Aaron George and Ayush Mhatre added 114 runs for the second wicket in 17 overs to take India past the 200-run mark in the 27th over. Mhatre, who had struggled earlier in the tournament, reached his fifty during this partnership. While Mhatre played the attacking role, Aaron continued to bat steadily.Mhatre was dismissed after his half-century but Aaron continued at the crease and brought up his hundred in 95 balls with a mid-wicket boundary. Aaron later added 96 runs for the third wicket with Vihan Malhotra as India edged closer to the target. Aaron was dismissed before the target but the result was already in India’s favour.India’s chase led by Aaron George and supported by Sooryavanshi and Mhatra secured a place in the final.
