Raichandani's 93 powers India U19 to 8-wicket semifinal win over Afghanistan

India Under-19 secured their place in the ACC Men's U19 Asia Cup 2026 final with a convincing eight-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the semifinal at Al Amerat, Oman, on Thursday.Chasing a target of 228, India reached 230/2 in just 36.5 overs, with captain Lakshya Raichandani leading the way with a match-winning unbeaten 93. The emphatic victory helped India seal their place in the final with 79 balls to spare.Afghanistan lose momentum after promising startAfghanistan, after winning the toss and electing to bat, made a steady start and appeared well placed to post a challenging total. At 143/3 in the 36th over, they had enough wickets in hand to accelerate during the final overs.However, India's bowlers turned the game around with a disciplined spell in the middle and death overs.