U19 World Cup 2026: Records tumble as future stars shine bright

The 16th edition of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup lived up to expectations as the next generation of cricketing talent more than put on a show and records tumbled in Zimbabwe and Namibia.

After 41 matches across the two nations, it was India who were crowned champions after Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s remarkable century in the final.

The 14-year-old opener smashed 15 fours and 15 sixes in his brutal 175 from 80 balls – the highest ever score in an ICC World Cup final – as India posted 411 for nine.

Caleb Falconer’s excellent 115 was ultimately in vain as England lost by 100 runs as India claimed a record-extending triumph.

Sooryavanshi’s exploits will go down in ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup history and have shown the world in no uncertain terms what he is capable of, with his 439 runs coming at a competition-best strike rate of 169.49.

He also hit a staggering U19 World Cup-record 30 sixes and only Ben Mayes topped him in the run-scoring charts, the 18-year-old finishing on 444 which included a superb 191 against Scotland.

Mayes’ teammate Manny Lumsden finished as the tournament's leading wicket taker after snaring 16 scalps while the duo's skipper and wicket keeper Thomas Rew finished joint top of the dismissal table with 14, alongside Pakistan’s Hamza Zahoor, as well as hitting 330 runs.

Afghanistan matched their best performance at this competition with a third semi-final appearance – losing to eventual champions India – while debutants Tanzania can take heart after pushing West Indies hard during their Group D encounter.

History was made during Sri Lanka’s Group A clash with Japan as Dimantha Mahavithana and Viran Chamuditha’s opening stand of 328 became the highest partnership for any wicket in both U19 World Cups and in Youth ODIs.

The latter went on to score a competition record 192 for Sri Lanka, who eventually missed out on the last four on net run-rate after finishing third in Group 1 of the Super 6 stage.

Despite the heavy defeat, Japan had their own moment of history to celebrate as Hugo Tani-Kelly’s unbeaten 101 in response marked both his maiden Youth ODI ton and his country’s first individual three figure score at an U19 World Cup.

Australia’s Will Malajczuk broke the record for the fastest U19 World Cup hundred when he reached the mark from just 51 balls against Japan while West Indies’ Shaquan Belle claimed the best figures of the event after taking six for 40 against South Africa.

However, both the latter two nations couldn’t get out of Group 1, falling alongside Sri Lanka and Ireland.

Pakistan, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh were the teams to go out from Group 2, but the former of that quartet did run India close during their final Super 6 match where a win could have taken them through.

Tanzania, Scotland, Japan and USA made up the four sides who competed in the 13th to 16th Place play-offs, with Japan winning their first U19 World Cup match against Tanzania to finish 14th overall.