Posted by AI on 2025-08-16 12:41:59 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-17 05:16:48
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After a thrilling five days of competition across 26 matches, the 16-team line-up for the 2026 edition of the ICC Under-19 Mens Cricket World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia has been finalized.
The last spot was taken by USA, who defeated Indonesia by 122 runs at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Tuesday, February 7, to seal their place at the pinnacle of youth cricket.
The win meant they joined Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, England, Australia, Canada, Namibia, and Zimbabwe as the 16 qualifiers for the flagship event, which will be held across the two countries next August.
The 14th edition of the tournament, which is also the first standalone ICC event to be held in the region, will see the teams divided into four groups of four teams each.
Hosts Zimbabwe and the Namibian team will be in Group A along with Australia and Afghanistan. India, Ireland, New Zealand, and Pakistan will form Group B, while Group C will comprise Bangladesh, Canada, England, and Sri Lanka. The West Indies, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, and the United States of America will form Group D to complete the group stages lineup.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super League stage, while the remaining teams will figure in the Plate championship. The final will be played at a venue yet to be decided on February 12, 2023.
"I would like to congratulate the USA for winning the final spot at the U19 Men's Cricket World Cup after a closely fought competition for the 16th place against Indonesia,"ICC U19 Cricket World Manager Fenil Shah said in a statement.
"The last spot was arguably the most competitive of them all, and it was disappointing to see so many close matches ending in defeats for the teams, but these will serve as great learning curves for them," he added.
Only the top 16 teams across the globe qualify for the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup, making it one of the most difficult tournaments to get into.
"I would like to wish all the teams and the hosts Zimbabwe and Namibia all the best as they prepare for the upcoming tournament," Shah further added.
All the matches will be played in Zimbabwe and Namibia, with the final scheduled to be played at a venue yet to be decided on February 12, 2023.
Conclusion:
16 teams across the globe, including hosts Zimbabwe and Namibia, will participate in the 2026 ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup. After a thrilling week of competition, USA qualified for the final spot. The teams have been divided into four groups, and the top two teams from each group will advance to the Super League stage, while the remaining teams will compete in the Plate Championship. The final will take place on February 12, 2023, at a venue that is yet to be determined.
The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup is one of the most difficult tournaments to qualify for, as only the best 16 teams compete. All matches will take place in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Fenil Shah, ICC U19 Cricket World Manager, congratulated the USA on their victory and extended his wishes to all teams and hosts Zimbabwe and Namibia as they prepare for the upcoming tournament.
Let's see how the US team fares at the world championship.