Online Reporter
ON a batting beauty at the Harare Sports Club, India’s assembly line of batting talent was out in full splendour in the Under-19 World Cup semi-final yesterday.
There were two centurions in a statement innings from Afghanistan, but Uzairullah Niazai and Faisal Shinozada’s knocks – glorious as they were – were rendered footnotes by a superb century from Aaron George.
He led India’s record chase of 311 with the kind of composure that belied his low scores from earlier in the tournament.
George hit 115 off 104, ably supported by half-centuries from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre, as India recorded the highest ever chase in U19 World Cup history.
A sixth straight final beckoned, and with it, tomorrow’s date with England for the title – a repeat of the 2022 final, history rhyming if not quite repeating.
There was something quietly poetic about George’s century, about this particular redemption.
Here was a batter who had managed a best of just 23 runs leading up to this knockout game, existing in the shadows while all around him teammates made the right noises and brandished snazzy IPL contracts. But the selectors stuck with him.
And on this day, under the Harare sun, George repaid that faith with interest – 15 fours, 2 sixes, batting on until only 11 runs were required. The chase, in the end, was polished off with 53 balls to spare, the margin of victory rendering Afghanistan’s brilliance a beautiful but ultimately futile exercise.
Afghanistan had a couple of clear chances in the second innings. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was put down in the fifth over and George was reprieved when a dolly was put down by Wahidullah Zadran at mid-on.
The drops proved very costly as India’s openers plundered 90 in 9.3 overs before Sooryavanshi fell to a short ball from Nooristani Omarzai for a 33-ball 68.
Ayush Mhatre walked out, with a bunch of low scores under his belt, and opted to deal in either boundaries or dots for the first 12 balls before he hunkered down to build a 114-run stand with George.
George, at the other end, was barely troubled by spin or pace.
A highlight of his innings was his ability to punch the ball on the up with a high elbow.
There was also a delectable inside-out shot over extra cover to a ball headed down legside.
George got to his century with a flick past mid-on for four, bringing the Indian dressing room to its collective feet.
Brief scores: Afghanistan 310/4 in 50 overs (Faisal Shinozada 110, Uzairullah Niazai 101; Kanishk Chouhan 2-55) lost to India (Aaron George 115, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 68, Ayush Mhatre 62) by seven wickets. – Cricbuzz
