01/02Result
1st Semi-Final, ICC Under-19 World Cup at North Sound, Feb 1 2022
England U19 won by 15 runs (D/L)
Player of the Match
George Bell
George BellEngland Under-19s
01/02Result
1st Semi-Final, ICC Under-19 World Cup at North Sound, Feb 1 2022
England U19 won by 15 runs (D/L)
Player of the Match
George Bell
George BellEngland Under-19s

END OF OVER:
47 | 19 Runs | ENG19: 231/6 | RR: 4.91

  • Alex Horton53 (36b)
  • George Bell56 (67b)
  • Naveed Zadran9-0-67-2
  • Bilal Sami9-1-67-0

1.31pm The DLS-adjusted target is 231... so barely any difference, which makes sense, given how ropey England were looking when the rain came. PDP will be here shortly for the start of the chase.

Ant: "How on earth can DLS be right if it has set Afghanistan one less than it would have done had England known they only had 47 overs from the start!?" There's not much point nitpicking about individual DLS calculations. Better to look at the system as a whole and ask, overall, does this feel right? For 50-over cricket, there's nothing better, in my opinion. For 20 overs, you could argue it's not quite caught up with the format's permutations...

Najeeb khan: "There are victories and defeats in the game but the Afghan batsmen will have to score one or two more runs. In the end there will be good and fast batsmen. The Afghan team just has to play brave cricket today."

Praveen: "Thrashed, swipe, ramp, dabbed, thumped, slapped, banged, yanked, thwacked, spanked! Commentary for Under-19s?" I learnt my vocab from reading the Beano. So yes, entirely apt!

Sumant: "One trick pony, letting go of advantageous situations - hallmarks of a smaller team. Afghanistan must get past this stage with both their seniour and junior teams to progress in the cricketing world."

Christopher: "Pace bowlers 18-1-134-2 (7.44rpo), Spin bowlers 29-2-94-4 (3.24rpo) - rather sums it up! "

1.28pm So, the die is cast. England have recovered supremely from a ropey 136 for 6 with a stunning 95 run stand from 73 balls between George Bell and Alex Horton. Both men made fifties, to go with George Thomas's fifty at the top of the order.

Thomas: "The seam early on was like normal, but the spinners started turning as the innings went on, spin is the way forward. Hopefully our spinners can get through their ten overs and get us over the line, I bat our bowlers to defend that, 100%"

46.6
4
Naveed Zadran to Horton, FOUR, brings up his fifty in style! Hammered through midwicket, and that's one emphatic glove-punch as this pair leave the crease! Horton and Bell have transformed the narrative, and you have to say that England are favourites to reach the final now!
46.5
4
Naveed Zadran to Horton, FOUR, mashed over the leg side, and deep midwicket is in no-man's land! He should have been back on the rope for the catch, instead the ball plops over his shoulder and kicks away to the rope
46.4
6
Naveed Zadran to Horton, SIX, heaved down the ground for a vital six! Bends into the strike with a solid base, flinging the hands fast and true, over long-off! Huge hit, in every sense!
46.3
2
Naveed Zadran to Horton, 2 runs, thwacked to long-on, more excellent running from Bell as Horton has to rush at the far end for the second, more bottom hand on the full length delivery

An early advance from Horton, so the bowler bails out...

46.2
2
Naveed Zadran to Horton, 2 runs, pounded through the line, lots of bottom hand, deep midwicket doesn't risk giving away four by diving for the catch, but after a mix-up, England get a second on the overthrow. Chaos reigns...
46.1
1
Naveed Zadran to Bell, 1 run, flicked off the legs to the on-side, another single

END OF OVER:
46 | 10 Runs | ENG19: 212/6 | RR: 4.60

  • George Bell55 (66b)
  • Alex Horton35 (31b)
  • Bilal Sami9-1-67-0
  • Naveed Zadran8-0-48-2

Khalid : "Once upon a time I commented here that ENG will go beyond 220, isn't that right?" You might well have done. I thought it was optimistic at the time...

45.6
1
Bilal Sami to Bell, 1 run, free hit, reverse pull, doesn't connect probably but gets the single to third man

Obaid: "I see Ian Bell in George Bell, the latter takes responsibility as Ian did in his best days " Shockingly they aren't related (I don't think). This one's from Lancashire, not Brum

45.6
1nb
Bilal Sami to Bell, 1 no ball, wild full toss, down the leg side, attempted pull and the keeper does well to intercept. That's above waist-height so a no-ball, and a warning too. One more and he's out of the attack
45.5
0
Bilal Sami to Bell, no run, so close to off stump! Spears in the fuller length, Bell has a mow to leg, and is so relieved not to hear the inevitable
45.4
4
Bilal Sami to Bell, FOUR, spanked through the covers! Another shimmy to leg, opening up the off side, and crashing through the off-stump line. This is transformative stuff

Faiz Noori: "These last runs will be difference between the losing and winning side. What do you think @Andrew? I can't trust the Afghan batters. " It feels crucial for sure. How crucial... let's find out

45.3
1
Bilal Sami to Horton, 1 run, fuller length, into the toes, thwacked to the on-side
45.2
2
Bilal Sami to Horton, 2 runs, yanked into the leg-side, boshed on the up to the on-side
45.1
1
Bilal Sami to Bell, 1 run, banged in back of a length, nudged to the on-side, and that's a fine fifty from Bell. His second of the tournament and undoubtedly his finest yet

This stand is now 66 from 60. Vital. And the worm has literally turned. Hard to believe that was a phrase before run-rate graphs...

END OF OVER:
45 | 14 Runs | ENG19: 202/6 | RR: 4.48

  • Alex Horton32 (29b)
  • George Bell49 (61b)
  • Naveed Zadran8-0-48-2
  • Bilal Sami8-1-57-0
44.6
2
Naveed Zadran to Horton, 2 runs, slapped out to deep midwicket and dropped! Bilal, running around to his right, has two grabs at the chance but can't make them stick! That was a decent pick-up, across the line, but not enough bat on it. How crucial will that be!
44.5
2
Naveed Zadran to Horton, 2 runs, thumped down the ground, fine intercept The 200 comes up with a drill to long-off. England making the late running here
44.4
1
Naveed Zadran to Bell, 1 run, dabbed to the on-side, and a wild dive to get back after being turned down for the second
44.3
4
Naveed Zadran to Bell, FOUR, another tremendous ramp over fine leg! This has been such a sparky innings. Innovative, and watchful, as the pace came off the ball, he timed the impact to launch it over his shoulder!

Match Coverage

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AFG Under-19 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st1Mohammad IshaqNangeyalia Kharote
2nd93Allah NoorMohammad Ishaq
3rd1Suliman SafiAllah Noor
4th11Abdul Hadi (1)Allah Noor
5th50Abdul Hadi (1)Bilal Ahmad
6th6Abdul Hadi (1)Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai
7th50Abdul Hadi (1)Noor Ahmad
8th1Izharulhaq NaveedAbdul Hadi (1)
9th0Abdul Hadi (1)Bilal Sami
10th2Abdul Hadi (1)Naveed Zadran