India will be up against Afghanistan in the semifinal of the U19 World Cup 2026 in Harare on Wednesday. The Ayush Mhatre-led team has momentum on its side as they have been unbeaten in the tournament so far and etched a comprehensive win against arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday. India defeated Pakistan by 58 runs.
Here we take a look at the Indian players to watch out for in the semis.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi
You just can’t bowl him there! 🔥😍
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi frees his arms and tonks his first MAXIMUM of the game in style! ⚡#ICCMensU19WC | #INDvPAK 👉 LIVE NOW ➡️ https://t.co/olXi2HkcO8 pic.twitter.com/neXWOulSbO
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 1, 2026
India’s aggressive batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi is one player to watch out for sure. The left-handed batter has scored runs for India consistently but hasn’t got a big one. Suryavanshi has been giving quick starts to the Indian team and would now look to notch up a big score in this all important semis.
Ayush Mhatre
Captain Ayush Mhatre has been going through a rough patch with the bat but the youngster has come in handy with the ball in the last two outings. The right-hander has picked up 6 wickets in the last two matches. Mhatre returned with figures of 3/14 against Zimbabwe and then picked up three for 21 against Pakistan. While the skipper has been performing well with the ball, he would look to make valuable contribution with the bat too.
ಬ್ಯಾಟ್ ಸೈಲೆಂಟ್ ಆಗಿರಬಹುದು, ಆದ್ರೆ ಬೌಲಿಂಗ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಗೆಲುವಿನ ಹಾದಿ ತೋರಿಸಿಕೊಡುತ್ತಿರುವ ಚತುರ ನಾಯಕ Ayush Mhatre.👏
📺 ವೀಕ್ಷಿಸಿ | ICC Men’s U19 WC | #INDvsPAK | LIVE NOW | ನಿಮ್ಮ Star Sports 2 ಕನ್ನಡ & JioHotstar ನಲ್ಲಿ.#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/wk086hv2FY
— Star Sports Kannada (@StarSportsKan) February 1, 2026
Kanishk Chouhan
A big performance on the big stage! 🙌
Kanishk Chouhan is the Player of the Match for his valuable all-round contributions as India U19 win by 5️⃣8️⃣ runs 👏
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/9EQew1omYY #U19WorldCup pic.twitter.com/5qwwp0S4Og
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 1, 2026
Kanishk Chouhan played a very important role in India’s win against Pakistan. The boys in blue were in a tricky situation when Kanishk chipped in with 35 off 29 deliveries and then returned with figures 1/30 in 10 overs. India would need him to replicate that performance in the semi-final.
Vihaan Malhotra
A fine century! 👏🏻👌🏻
Coming out to bat under a bit of pressure, Vihaan Malhotra registered a stunning knock which guided Team India to a huge total against hosts! 🙌🏻#ICCMensU19WC | #INDvZIM 👉 LIVE NOW ➡️ https://t.co/ty11gF03Wh pic.twitter.com/efDtxXBK0D
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) January 27, 2026
Vihaan Malhotra is another player to watch out for. Malhotra has already struck a hundred in the tournament stamping his authority with the bat. While he just managed to get 21 off 43 against Pakistan, Vihaan would be looking to get back on track and scored runs for India.
Also Read: “Not in the Same League as India”: Sanjay Manjrekar’s Blunt Take on ‘Minnows’ Pakistan
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