The India U19 vs Afghanistan semifinal in the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2026 will be played on Thursday, November 12, at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman, with a place in the final on the line. India reached the last four by finishing second in Group A, while Afghanistan topped Group B with three wins from three games. The winner will meet Pakistan or Bangladesh in the final on Saturday, November 14, at the same venue.
India U19 vs Afghanistan semifinal details
The India U19 vs Afghanistan semifinal is the second of the day at Al Amerat, and it will be played on Ministry Turf 1, with the Pakistan-Bangladesh semifinal on Turf 2. The match starts at 10.30 am IST and will be shown live on the Sony Sports Network and streamed on SonyLIV. India are led by Lakshya Raichandani, and Afghanistan by Sohail Khan. It is a 50-over game, and the side that wins goes straight to the final, with no second chance for the side that loses.
India took the hard road to the last four. They beat Nepal by 10 wickets in their first group game, then lost to Pakistan, which left them needing a win over the United Arab Emirates to reach the India U19 vs Afghanistan semifinal. They got it on November 10, winning by 70 runs after Aaryavir Sehwag made 160 off 168 balls. Sehwag put on 193 with VK Vineeth for the second wicket, and India posted 309 before bowling the UAE out for 239. Ahmed Khudadad made 74 for the UAE, and Ishan Sood took four wickets for India.
India U19 vs Afghanistan group stage paths
Afghanistan go into the India U19 vs Afghanistan semifinal having won every game they have played in the tournament, and they are one of only two unbeaten sides left, along with Pakistan. They opened by beating Bangladesh by 113 runs, then bowled Malaysia out for 42 and chased the target down in three overs. Their last group game brought a 106-run win over Sri Lanka, a side seen as a strong contender for the playoffs. Afghanistan finished top of Group B with six points from three matches and a net run rate of 3.176.
Sehwag has been India’s batting mainstay in the tournament, and his 160 against the UAE made him the highest run scorer in the competition. He reached the mark off 168 balls, and his stand with Vineeth turned a shaky start into a total India could defend. India used seven bowlers against the UAE, and each of them took at least one wicket, with Sood’s four leading the way. That spread of wickets will matter in the India U19 vs Afghanistan semifinal against a side that has batted deep in the group stage.
What a final place would mean
The final is set for Saturday, November 14, at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground, on Turf 2. The winner of the India U19 vs Afghanistan semifinal will meet the winner of the Pakistan-Bangladesh semifinal, which is played on the same day. Pakistan are the defending champions, and they beat India in the group stage, so a second meeting between the two sides is still possible. India would have to beat Afghanistan first, and Pakistan would have to beat Bangladesh.
India’s group stage showed both sides of this team. They beat Nepal by 10 wickets, then lost to Pakistan, then recovered with the bat against the UAE. Sehwag’s 160 was the innings that steadied them, and the bowling group shared the wickets around him. Afghanistan’s group stage showed no such wobble: three wins, each by a wide margin, and a net run rate that put them clear at the top of Group B. The India U19 vs Afghanistan semifinal pairs a side finding form with a side that has not lost.
Both sides know what is at stake. India need Sehwag to bat long again and their bowlers to share the load as they did against the UAE. Afghanistan need their top order to keep the form that carried them through the group stage unbeaten. The India U19 vs Afghanistan semifinal starts at 10.30 am IST at Al Amerat, and the winner plays the final on Saturday.