England and Afghanistan Dominate Group Stage in U19 World Cup 2026

On Wednesday, England and Afghanistan secured decisive victories in Groups C and D, respectively, at the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026, continuing their undefeated streaks.

England dominated Scotland with a massive 252-run win at the Takashinga Cricket Club in Harare, largely due to Ben Mayes’ outstanding 191-run performance. Mayes formed a 188-run partnership with opener Joseph Moores, who made 81 off 65 balls, helping England reach a formidable total of 404 for six in their allotted 50 overs. Batting at number three, Mayes hit 18 fours and eight sixes in his 117-ball innings. Contributions from Caleb Falconer, Farhan Ahmed, and Sebastian Morgan down the order pushed the team’s total beyond 400.

In response, Scotland began cautiously with openers Thomas Knight and Theo Robinson putting up 38 runs for the first wicket. However, they faltered after getting settled, and none of the subsequent batters managed to build on their starts. Finlay Carter was the top scorer with 34 off 55 balls before Scotland was all out for 152 in the 45th over.

In Group D, Nooristani Omarzai’s five-wicket haul paved the way for Afghanistan’s nine-wicket victory over Tanzania at the High Performance Oval in Windhoek. Choosing to bat first after winning the toss, Tanzania’s decision backfired as Omarzai and Wahidullah Zadran dismantled the top order by dismissing the openers within the first three overs. Runs were hard to come by as Omarzai, supported by Uzairullah Niazi, continued to dismantle the middle order. Omarzai went on to claim three wickets from the tailenders in consecutive overs, bowling out Tanzania for just 85 runs in 36 overs. Faisal Khan’s blistering 55 off 34 balls ensured Afghanistan raced to their target in just under 13 overs.

Brief Scores:

• England 404/6 in 50 overs (Joseph Moores 88, Ben Mayes 191, Caleb Falconer 32; Jake Woodhouse 3/88) defeated Scotland 152 in 44.5 overs (Finlay Carter 34; Caleb Falconer 3/19).
• Tanzania 85 in 36 overs (Nooristani Omarzai 5/9) lost to Afghanistan 88/1 in 12.4 overs (Faisal Khan 55).

Published on January 21, 2026.