Faisal Shinoyzada’s blistering 163 turned the Harare Sports Club into an Afghan fortress, as the Under-19 side annihilated Ireland by 191 runs to secure a semi-final spot in the 2026 World Cup. They’ll face Australia on February 4, while Group 1 rivals Sri Lanka, West Indies, South Africa, and Ireland bow out.
Friday’s Super-6 encounter saw Afghanistan win the toss and bat, slumping to 27/2 before Shinoyzada took charge. His 75-run stand with Niyazi (26) rebuilt foundations, but the real fireworks came in a 188-run epic with skipper Mahboob Khan (89 off 79), powering to 315/7.
The 142-ball innings, studded with 19 boundaries, crowns Shinoyzada as Afghanistan’s top U19 World Cup scorer. Ireland responded with Wilson and Riley grabbing three scalps each, Ford one.
Target in sight? Not for Ireland, who crumbled to 124 in 40.4 overs. At 53/5, Bates (34) and Wilson (31 off 36, four fours) resisted briefly with 55 runs, but Afghanistan’s seamers—Aziz and Khan (3/3 each), Umarzai and Arab (1 each)—mopped up.
This lopsided win highlights Afghanistan’s batting depth and bowling nous, positioning them as semi-final contenders with real medal hopes.