ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026: Full Squads, Group Breakdown & Player Analysis

Ultimate Guide: All Squads for the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup 2026 – Details, Teams & Key Players

Cricket’s future stars are ready to shine! The ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be played across Zimbabwe and Namibia from 15 January to 6 February 2026, featuring 16 of the world’s strongest youth teams. This global tournament is a platform where future international legends are forged, giving fans a first look at the next generation of cricketing talent.

From Asia to Africa, Europe to Oceania, the U19 World Cup showcases young cricketers who have dominated youth circuits and now step onto the world stage. Let’s dive into the full list of squads, how teams are grouped, standout prospects, and what this tournament means for global cricket.

🌍 Tournament Format & Schedule

The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2026 will feature 16 teams divided into four groups (A to D). Each team brings up to 15 players, including captains, all-rounders, fast bowlers, spin specialists, and dynamic middle-order batters. Group play sets the foundation, with the top teams pushing toward the knockout stages and, ultimately, the final in early February.

Here’s how the groups have been organized:

🧠 Group A – Powerhouses & Emerging Teams

🇦🇺 Australia U19 Squad

Australia, a traditional powerhouse in youth cricket, will be led by captain Oliver Peake. The squad blends batting strength with bowling depth, offering a balanced attack capable of competing deep into the tournament.

Australia U19 Squad:

Oliver Peake (c)
Kasey Barton
Naden Cooray
Jayden Draper
Ben Gordon
Steven Hogan
Thomas Hogan
John James
Charles Lachmund
Will Malajczuk
Nitesh Samuel
Hayden Schiller
Aryan Sharma
William Taylor
Alex Lee Young

🇮🇪 Ireland U19 Squad

Ireland has captured attention with a mix of tactical talent and youth promise. The team, led by Olly Riley, has depth in batting and potential match-winners in its bowling lineup.

Ireland U19 Squad:

Olly Riley (c)
Reuben Wilson
Alex Armstrong
Callum Armstrong
Marko Bates
Sebastian Dijkstra
Thomas Ford
Samuel Haslett
Adam Leckey
Febin Manoj
Luke Murray
Robert O’Brien
Freddie Ogilby
James West
Bruce Whaley
Reserves: Peter le Roux, William Shields

🇯🇵 Japan U19 Squad

Japan is gaining momentum in youth cricket. Its U19 squad will embrace this challenge with a blend of disciplined batters and versatile all-rounders.

Japan U19 Squad:

Kazuma Kato-Stafford (c)
Charles Hara-Hinze
Gabriel Hara-Hinze
Montgomery Hara-Hinze
Kaisei Kobayashi-Doggett
Timothy Moore
Skyler Nakayama-Cook
Ryuki Ozeki
Nihar Parmar
Nikhil Pol
Chihaya Sekine
Hugo Tani-Kelly
Sandev Aaryan Waduge
Kai Wall
Taylor Waugh

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka U19 Squad

Sri Lanka’s youth squad is rich with spin options and agile fielders — ideal for subcontinental conditions similar to what they might face in this tournament.

Sri Lanka U19 Squad:

Vimath Dinsara (c)
Kavija Gamage
Dimantha Mahavithana
Viran Chamuditha
Dulnith Sigera
Chamika Heentigala
Adam Hilmy
Chamarindu Nethsara
Sethmika Seneviratne
Kugathas Mathulan
Rasith Nimsara
Vigneshwaran Akash
Jeewantha Sriram
Senuja Wekunagoda
Malintha Silva

🔥 Group B – Test of Consistency

🇧🇩 Bangladesh U19

Continuing its strong youth development, Bangladesh’s U19 team combines controlled batting with strategic bowling options, placing emphasis on spin mastery and middle-order resilience.

Bangladesh U19 Squad:

Azizul Hakim Tamim (c)
Zawad Abrar
Samiun Basir Ratul
Sheikh Parvez Jibon
Rizan Hossan
Shaharia Al Amin
Shadin Islam
Md Abdullah
Farid Hasan Faysal
Kalam Siddiki Aleen
Rifat Beg
Saad Islam Razin
Al Fahad
Shahriar Ahmed
Iqbal Hossain
Reserves: Abdur Rahim, Debashis Sarkar Deba, Rafi Uzzaman Rafi, Farhan Shahriar, Farzan Ahmed Alif, Sanjid Majumder, Md Sobuj

🇮🇳 India U19

India’s squad is firm favorite, headed by Ayush Mhatre. With dominant batters and dynamic bowlers, India aims to reclaim the U19 World Cup title with a blend of tactical finesse and youth firepower.

India U19 Squad:

Ayush Mhatre (c)
R.S. Ambrish
Kanishk Chouhan
D. Deepesh
Mohamed Enaan
Aaron George
Abhigyan Kundu
Kishan Kumar Singh
Vihaan Malhotra
Udhav Mohan
Henil Patel
Khilan A. Patel
Harvansh Singh
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Vedant Trivedi

🇳🇿 New Zealand U19

New Zealand’s squad blends precision seam bowling with well-balanced batting orders. Known for gritty underdog performances, the Kiwis will aim to challenge higher-ranked teams with smart strategies.

New Zealand U19 Squad:

Tom Jones (c)
Marco Alpe
Hugo Bogue
Harry Burns
Mason Clarke
Jacob Cotter
Aryan Mann
Brandon Matzopoulos
Flynn Morey
Snehith Reddy
Callum Samson
Jaskaran Sandhu
Selwin Sanjay
Hunter Shore
Harry Waite

🇺🇸 USA U19

The United States squad is yet to be fully announced, but interest is growing as American youth cricket expands rapidly.

🏏 Group C – Classic Test of Cricket Depth

🏴 England U19

England’s youth team is known for disciplined batting and strategic bowling across formats — a blend that often bears fruit in pressure situations.

England U19 Squad:

Thomas Rew (c)
Farhan Ahmed
Ralphie Albert
Will Bennison
Ben Dawkins
Caleb Falconer
Ali Farooq
Alex French
Alex Green
Luke Hands
Manny Lumsden
Ben Mayes
James Minto
Joe Moores
Sebastian Morgan

🇵🇰 Pakistan U19

Pakistan’s youth cricket continues to thrive with a rotating crop of seamers and destructive batters. The squad will aim to build on recent performances and display their characteristic fast-bowling edge.

Pakistan U19 Squad:

Farhan Yousaf (c)
Usman Khan
… other members listed in official ICC announcement

🏴 Scotland U19

Scotland’s young talent pool reflects increasing competitiveness in European cricket, with players capable of turning games through aggressive batting and smart bowling.

Scotland U19 Squad:
… listed in official ICC announcement

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe U19

As co-hosts, Zimbabwe’s U19 team has home advantage and enthusiastic local support — essential factors that can inspire breakout performances.

Zimbabwe U19 Squad:
… detailed in official ICC announcement

🔄 Group D – Diverse Contenders

🇦🇫 Afghanistan U19

Afghanistan’s U19 side brings competitive spirit and excellent spin options, aiming to disrupt established teams with tactical brilliance.

🇿🇦 South Africa U19

South Africa’s U19 squad boasts strong seam bowling and balanced batting — a combination well suited to the swinging, faster pitches in Africa.

🇹🇿 Tanzania U19

Tanzania is an exciting emerging force in African youth cricket, with players prone to surprise stronger opponents.

🇼🇸 West Indies U19

West Indies continues its tradition of producing powerful hitters and dynamic bowlers. Their U19 squad will aim to bring flair and match-winning potential to the World Cup.

West Indies U19 Squad:
… listed in official ICC announcement

📈 Key Takeaways & World Cup Prospects

⭐ Future Stars to Watch

Oliver Peake (Australia): A potential captaincy star with leadership and batting skill.
Ayush Mhatre (India): Leadership and middle overs control.
Ahmed and Wilson (Ireland & other teams): Youth batters with big tournament potential.

🏆 Competitive Edge

This U19 World Cup is expected to be fiercely competitive, with teams adapting to varied pitch conditions in Zimbabwe and Namibia — from fast seams to spin-assisting surfaces.

📍 Global Significance

The U19 World Cup has been a milestone event for future international players. Past tournaments have revealed stars who later became top global performers — making this edition highly anticipated.

Final Thoughts

The ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 stands as a celebration of youth cricket excellence. With squads finalized and teams ready to compete, fans worldwide are poised for thrilling matches, emerging talents, and unforgettable moments. For cricket nations and fans alike, this tournament represents not just competition but the future of the sport.