India vs Afghanistan U19 Semi-Final Match Prediction: Sehwag’s India Face Unbeaten Afghanistan

India Under-19s face Afghanistan Under-19s in the second semi-final of the ACC Men’s Under-19 Asia Cup on Thursday, November 12, at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman. The winner books a place in the final on November 14, where defending champions Pakistan or Bangladesh will be waiting. India reached the last four the hard way, bouncing back from a group-stage defeat to Pakistan with Aaryavir Sehwag’s magnificent 160 against UAE, while Afghanistan arrive unbeaten after winning all three of their Group B matches. Here is our full preview, with the match details, the road to the semi-final, team news, key players, probable XIs and our prediction.

India vs Afghanistan U19 Semi-Final Match Details

Detail	Information
Match	India U19 vs Afghanistan U19, Semi-Final 2, ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup
Date	Thursday, November 12, 2026
Time	10:30 AM IST (9:00 AM local time, Oman)
Venue	Al Amerat Cricket Ground (Ministry Turf 1), Al Amerat, Oman
Format	50 overs a side, Youth ODI
Captains	Lakshya Raichandani (India), Sohail Khan (Afghanistan)
Live telecast	Sony Sports Network (India)
Live streaming	SonyLIV (India)

India U19 Road to the Semi-Final: Sehwag’s 160 Rescues the Campaign

India’s campaign started in style on November 6, when they beat Nepal by 10 wickets. Ishan Sood took 3 for 18, including four maidens, and Arjun Rajput took 3 for 8 as Nepal were bowled out for 128. Aaryavir Sehwag, the son of former India opener Virender Sehwag, finished the chase unbeaten on 70 off 52 balls, with captain Lakshya Raichandani making 53 off 63, and India won in 19.1 overs.

The high-voltage clash against Pakistan on November 8 was a different story. India lost four wickets for just 42 runs inside 17 overs before Rajput rescued the innings with a superb 107 off 85 balls. India still lost the game, and the defeat meant they finished as runners-up in Group A behind unbeaten Pakistan, setting up this semi-final against the Group B winners.

The virtual knockout against UAE on November 10 showed India’s character. Sehwag struck a career-defining 160 off 168 balls, with 17 fours and seven sixes, and shared a 193-run second-wicket stand with VK Vineeth, who made 67, as India posted 309 for 7. Ishan Sood then took 4 for 37 to bowl UAE out for 239, and India won by 70 runs to seal their semi-final place. Sehwag was named Player of the Match.

Afghanistan U19 Road to the Semi-Final: Unbeaten Group B Winners

Afghanistan have been the quiet achievers of the tournament, winning all three of their Group B matches against Bangladesh, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Their most impressive win came against Sri Lanka on November 9 at the same Al Amerat Turf 1 ground where this semi-final will be played. Afghanistan posted 275 all out in 49.5 overs, with Subhan Ali scoring 107 off 111 balls and Abidullah Nadarjan making 55 off 64. Sri Lanka were then bowled out for 169 in 34.1 overs, with Noor Ali Niazi taking 4 for 35, Mohammad Ali 2 for 24 and captain Sohail Khan 2 for 42, and Afghanistan won by 106 runs. Subhan Ali was Player of the Match.

Afghanistan won the Under-19 Asia Cup in 2017 and will be chasing their second title, while India have not lifted the trophy since 2021 and lost the last two finals to Bangladesh and Pakistan. Pakistan, the defending champions after beating India in the 2025 final, face Bangladesh in the first semi-final at the same time on Turf 2, so an India-Pakistan final on November 14 is very much alive.

India U19 Team Preview: Batting Firepower Around Sehwag and Rajput

India’s batting revolves around two in-form players. Aaryavir Sehwag has 230 runs in the tournament, including the 160 against UAE and an unbeaten 70 against Nepal, while Arjun Rajput’s 107 against Pakistan showed he can rescue an innings under pressure. Captain Lakshya Raichandani, VK Vineeth and vice-captain Yashbardhan Chauhan give the middle order depth, and wicketkeeper Anvay Dravid adds stability down the order. The one worry is India’s top-order collapse against Pakistan, when four wickets fell for 42 runs, and Afghanistan’s new-ball bowlers will have noticed that.

With the ball, Ishan Sood has been India’s standout bowler, with 4 for 37 against UAE after his 3 for 18 against Nepal. Rajput’s 3 for 8 against Nepal showed he can contribute with the ball too, and Mohit Ulva was part of the attack in the group games. India will want early wickets against an Afghanistan top order that posted 275 against Sri Lanka.

India squad: Lakshya Raichandani (c), Aaryavir Sehwag, VK Vineeth, Yashbardhan Chauhan (vc), Kushagra Ojha, Arjun Rajput, Manal Chauhan, Anvay Dravid (wk), Rajat Baghel (wk), V. Yashveer, Aryan Savsani, Mohit Ulva, Kavya Patel, Shavin Vinod, Ishan Sood.

Afghanistan U19 Team Preview: Subhan Ali and a Balanced Attack

Afghanistan’s strength is their balance. Subhan Ali’s 107 against Sri Lanka was the innings of their campaign, and Abidullah Nadarjan’s 55 in the same game showed the middle order can build on a platform. Captain Sohail Khan leads from the front and took two wickets against Sri Lanka, while vice-captain Farid Zadran adds experience to the batting. The bowling attack is the real threat: Noor Ali Niazi’s 4 for 35 broke Sri Lanka’s chase inside the powerplay, and Mohammad Ali’s 2 for 24 kept the pressure on through the middle overs.

Afghanistan’s three group wins came by comfortable margins, and they have already won on this exact ground, which matters in a knockout game. Their challenge is that India have the two biggest individual innings of the tournament in Sehwag’s 160 and Rajput’s 107, so Afghanistan’s bowlers must strike early or risk chasing another big total.

Afghanistan squad: Sohail Khan (c), Farid Zadran (vc), Subhan Ali, Noman Salarzai, Faisal Mubariz, Taher Sarwary, Abidullah Abid, Hamza Alikhil, Amir Hamza, Sami Mubariz, Lutfullah Mohammadi, Mohammad Ali, Abdullah Hamdard, Imran Mohammadi, Noor Ali Niazi.

Al Amerat Pitch Report and Venue Stats

The semi-final is played on Ministry Turf 1 at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground, the same ground where Afghanistan posted 275 against Sri Lanka on November 9. Totals of 275 and above have been posted on this ground in the tournament, and India’s 309 for 7 against UAE came on the adjacent Turf 2, so the surfaces have rewarded good batting. The new ball offers some movement early, and the spinners come into the game as the ball gets older, but a first-innings total around 260 to 280 looks par. The team winning the toss may prefer to bat first and put scoreboard pressure on in a knockout game.

Key Battles in India vs Afghanistan U19 Semi-Final

• Aaryavir Sehwag vs Noor Ali Niazi: Sehwag has scored 230 runs in the tournament, while Niazi took 4 for 35 against Sri Lanka and broke the chase inside the powerplay. If Niazi removes Sehwag early, India’s batting looks far less settled.
• Subhan Ali vs Ishan Sood: Subhan Ali’s 107 was the match-winning innings against Sri Lanka, and Sood has taken seven wickets in the tournament, including 4 for 37 against UAE. This duel could decide the middle overs.
• Arjun Rajput vs Sohail Khan: Rajput rescued India with 107 against Pakistan, and Afghanistan captain Sohail Khan took two wickets against Sri Lanka and leads his side’s fielding effort. Rajput’s form against spin will be tested.

India vs Afghanistan U19 Probable Playing XIs

Afghanistan U19 probable XI: Abdullah Hamdard, Abidullah Nadarjan, Amir Hamza, Faridullah Ihsas, Mohammad Ali, Noman Salarzai, Noor Ali Niazi, Shah Faisal Rahimi, Sohail Khan (c), Subhan Ali, Tahir Sarwary — the same XI that beat Sri Lanka by 106 runs.

India U19 probable XI: Aaryavir Sehwag, VK Vineeth, Arjun Rajput, Lakshya Raichandani (c), Yashbardhan Chauhan, Anvay Dravid (wk), Ishan Sood, Mohit Ulva, plus three from Kushagra Ojha, Manal Chauhan, Kavya Patel, Shavin Vinod, V. Yashveer and Aryan Savsani. The final XI will be confirmed at the toss.

India vs Afghanistan U19 Match Prediction

Afghanistan are unbeaten and have already won on this ground, but India have the two best individual batting performances of the tournament and the momentum of a must-win victory over UAE. Sehwag’s form is the difference: if he bats through the first 25 overs, India should post or chase a winning total. Afghanistan’s bowling, led by Noor Ali Niazi, is good enough to make this a close game, and a low-scoring contest would suit them more than a shootout. On balance, India’s batting depth and big-match experience in knockout cricket give them the edge.

Prediction: India U19 to beat Afghanistan U19 and reach the U19 Asia Cup final on November 14.

India vs Afghanistan U19 Live Streaming: When and Where to Watch

In India, the semi-final will be telecast live on the Sony Sports Network and streamed on SonyLIV, starting at 10:30 AM IST on Thursday, November 12. In Pakistan, the match will be shown on PTV Sports and Geo Super, with streaming on Myco. Viewers in the UK can watch on Sky Sports, in the USA and Canada on Willow TV, in Australia on Amazon Prime Video, and in New Zealand on Sky Sport Now, while ICC.tv carries the tournament for the rest of the world.

FAQs: India vs Afghanistan U19 Semi-Final

When is the India vs Afghanistan U19 semi-final?

The semi-final is on Thursday, November 12, 2026, starting at 10:30 AM IST at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground (Ministry Turf 1) in Oman.

How did India reach the U19 Asia Cup semi-final?

India beat Nepal by 10 wickets, lost to Pakistan, and then beat UAE by 70 runs, with Aaryavir Sehwag scoring 160, to finish second in Group A and qualify for the semi-final.

How did Afghanistan reach the U19 Asia Cup semi-final?

Afghanistan won all three Group B matches, beating Bangladesh, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, including a 106-run win over Sri Lanka in which Subhan Ali scored 107.

Where can I watch India vs Afghanistan U19 live in India?

In India, the match will be telecast live on the Sony Sports Network and streamed on SonyLIV.

When is the U19 Asia Cup final?

The final is on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman. Pakistan face Bangladesh in the first semi-final at the same time as India’s game.