The roster for the Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 has been confirmed, with the USA securing its position as the 16th and final team to earn a spot in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Under the leadership of wicketkeeper-batter Arjun Mahesh, the American team successfully navigated the double round-robin Qualifier held on their home turf in Rydal, Georgia, qualifying with one match remaining, which is scheduled against Canada on 16 August.
This provides an overview of what to expect from the U19 World Cup next year in Namibia and Zimbabwe.The leading 10 teams from the 2024 tournament held in South Africa earned automatic qualification for the 2026 event, along with the Full Member hosts, Zimbabwe.
The last five positions were determined through regional qualifying events conducted globally.The automatic qualification of Zimbabwe included Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and the West Indies.
Subsequently, focus shifted to regional qualifying, which commenced with Division 2 qualifiers in four out of the five global regions, leading into Division 1 competition in 2025.
Africa Qualifier: Tanzania
Laksh Bakrania’s team was the first to capture attention in Division 1 qualifying globally, managing to secure a narrow victory against Namibia and overcoming a formidable Kenyan side to ultimately secure World Cup spots in an unbeaten run.
The achievement of Tanzania was even more impressive given that the team had entered the tournament at the Division 2 level, with the captain, who already possessed significant senior international experience, taking the lead.
The left-arm spinner delivered an outstanding performance, taking 2 wickets for 17 runs in 10 overs and contributing a crucial 34 runs with the bat in a solid defense of 159 against Namibia during the crucial win, concluding the tournament with a total of 208 runs and eight wickets.
Mohamedi Mbaki and Khalidy Juma also excelled during the qualifying rounds, as the team prepares for a World Cup campaign on their home continent early next year.
Americas Qualifier: USA
The American team established their dominance with a 65-run victory against their neighbors, Canada. They followed this with convincing wins over Bermuda and Argentina, placing them firmly in control at the midpoint of the tournament.
The bowlers from the host nation excelled in their second match against Bermuda on the fourth day, subsequently overwhelming Argentina by dismissing them for a mere 34 runs.
Their nine-wicket triumph over Argentina propelled them to 10 points, ensuring an insurmountable lead ahead of their final encounter with Canada.
Leading the batting order, Amrinder Singh Gill has been outstanding, accumulating 199 runs across three innings, while the spin duo of Ansh Rai and Sahir Bhatia have impressed with the ball, each claiming seven wickets thus far.
Asia Qualifier: Afghanistan
Only the net run rate distinguished Afghanistan from Nepal at the conclusion of the Asia qualification, as their encounter at the end of the round-robin tournament was canceled due to rain.
The Afghan team secured the tiebreaker by achieving significant victories against Oman, Hong Kong, and the UAE, with Khalid Ahmadzai standing out among his peers with the bat, accumulating 202 runs at an average of 101 across his three innings.
Fast bowler Nooristani Ormazi is a player to keep an eye on in the main tournament, supported by the spin bowling of left-armer Ziatullah Shaheen and Hafieezullah Zadran.
East Asia-Pacific Qualifier: Japan
It was a remarkable qualification campaign for Japan on their home turf in Sano, remaining undefeated against Fiji and Papua New Guinea in the double round robin format and demonstrating a level of skill that is poised to compete with the world’s elite next year.
Charlie Hara-Hinze emerged as the star for the Japanese team, earning Player of the Tournament accolades with 12 wickets and 92 runs over four innings, being relied upon to bowl in critical moments and contributing effectively with the bat during the middle overs.
All-rounders Hugo Tani-Kelly and Nihar Parmar continue to lead the spin attack, with Parmar also serving as a vital component at the top of the batting order.
Nikhil Pol’s team will strive for the nation’s first victory in the main tournament, having finished without a win in 2020.
Europe Qualifier: Scotland
It all came down to the last day of qualifying in Dundee, where the home team maintained their composure, defeating The Netherlands to secure the top position in the table and earn qualification spots for Namibia and Zimbabwe.
While defending a total of 237, Scotland found themselves in a precarious situation with the Dutch team well-positioned at 108/3, until Finlay Jones (4/41) and Manu Saraswat (3/43) turned the match around in favor of the hosts.
Saraswat’s performance of 64* (80) and 4/43 (10) against Jersey was another standout moment in the campaign, alongside Rory Grant’s impressive 124 (146) against Denmark, which was the highest score of the tournament.
This victory ensures that the Scots will participate in the tournament for the seventh time in the last eight cycles.