England reached the U-19 Cricket World Cup final after a late flurry of wickets secured a 15-run DLS win over Afghanistan in Antigua; England will play either Australia or India in Saturday’s final, their first final appearance since 1998.
Alex Horton celebrates England Under-19 reaching the World Cup final
England are through to their first U19 Cricket World Cup final in 24 years after a narrow victory against Afghanistan.
An unbroken 95-run standing between George Bell (56 out) and Alex Horton (53 out) helped England battle from 136-6 to post 231-6 in their innings, reduced to 47 overs due to rain.
Afghanistan looked well positioned for victory as James Sales conceded 20 runs in one over, including two no-balls, before Rehan Ahmed (4-41) took three wickets in the penultimate over to return the momentum to England.
England held Afghanistan to 216-9 to earn a 15-run DLS win, securing a place in Saturday’s final against either Australia or India.
England won the toss and chose to bat first, with starter George Thomas scoring half a century before Noor Ahmad (2-32) made a simple catch at his own bowling alley.
Naveed Zadran (2-67) claimed the wicket from Ahmed (16) to leave England at 136-6 with just 12 overs remaining, before Bell and Horton’s quick partnership of seven wickets helped them post a respectable total to defend. .
Josh Boyden took out Nangeyalia Kharote for a duck before Mohammad Ishaq and Allah Noor (60) added 93 for the second wicket, only for a tight game of bowling in the middle to leave Afghanistan requiring 43 from 24 deliveries.
Sales brought Afghanistan back into the game when he gave up two balls without the ball, one of which denied him a wicket, and gave up 20 runs during a frantic over.
Boyden conceded just four runs in the next before spinner Ahmed stepped up to turn the match around, dispatching Noor Ahmed with the opening ball of the over before taking successive wickets with his fourth and fifth deliveries to help England achieve the victory.
Will England win the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup? Watch the final live on Saturday from 1.30pm on Sky Sports Cricket.
