Al Amerat, November 12 (Daily Kiran) : The second semi-final of the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2026 is underway at Al Amerat Cricket Ground, where Afghanistan is facing India. Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first.

Afghanistan has shown impressive form throughout the tournament, finishing at the top of Group B with three consecutive victories. They secured wins against Bangladesh by 113 runs, Malaysia by 10 wickets, and Sri Lanka by 106 runs.

On the other hand, India reached the semi-finals from Group A with two wins out of three matches. Their journey included a loss to Pakistan, but they bounced back with a 10-wicket victory over Nepal and a 70-run win against the UAE.

The clash against Afghanistan promises to be thrilling. Indian players Aryaveer Sehwag and Arjun Rajput are expected to shine. Rajput scored a century against Pakistan, making 107 runs off 85 balls, while opening batsman Sehwag also hit a century against the UAE, scoring 160 runs from 168 balls.

Historically, India and Afghanistan have faced each other 13 times in youth ODIs, with India winning 11 matches and Afghanistan claiming victory in 2. Their last encounter was earlier this year in the U19 World Cup semi-final, where India chased down a target of 310 runs to win by 7 wickets.

India’s playing XI includes: Captain Lakshya Rajesh Raichandani, Aryaveer Sehwag, VK Vinit, Arjun Rajput, Yashvardhan Chauhan, Anvay Dravid (wicketkeeper), Manal Chauhan, Mohit Ulwa, Aryan Savasani, Kavya Patel, and Ishan Sood.

Afghanistan’s lineup features: Abidullah Nadarjan, Faridullah Ehsas, Subhan Zakhail, Noman Salarzai (wicketkeeper), Shah Faisal Rahimi, Tahir Sarwari, Amir Hamza, Sohel Khan (captain), Mohammad Ali, Bilal Salimkhil, and Noor Ali Niyazi.