Bulawayo, Zimbabwe – The first semi-final of the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup 2026 is underway at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, with England Under-19s having won the toss and electing to bat against Australia Under-19s. The match, a highly anticipated clash between two undefeated teams in the tournament, promises a fierce contest for a place in the final, scheduled for in Harare.
The Australian playing XI features Will Malajczuk, Nitesh Samuel, Steven Hogan, captain Oliver Peake, Alex Lee Young (wicketkeeper), Jayden Draper, Aryan Sharma, Hayden Schiller, Naden Cooray, Will Byrom, and Charles Lachmund. England’s team consists of Ben Dawkins, Joseph Moores, Ben Mayes, captain and wicketkeeper Thomas Rew, Caleb Falconer, Ralphie Albert, Farhan Ahmed, Sebastian Morgan, James Minto, Manny Lumsden, and Alex French.
Speaking ahead of the match, Australian captain Oliver Peake indicated his team was prepared for the conditions, despite a slight adjustment from their previous venue. Definitely a bit lower and slower than Namibia. So, it’s taken a bit of getting used to, but we had Harare and a few good training days here. So we feel ready to go,
he said. Peake emphasized a relaxed approach for his team, stating, Same as what we’ve really had for the whole tournament, to be honest, just keep enjoying it. Every opportunity is a cool one. And, we’ve got no pressure on us. There’s nothing to lose. It’s just about enjoying ourselves and seeing what One can do.
Will Byrom replaces Ben Gordon in the Australian lineup.
England captain Thomas Rew explained the decision to bat first, citing familiarity with the ground and a desire to set a competitive total. We’re going to bat first. We’ve had a bit of experience in this ground, so I think we’re going to try and use that to the best of our ability today and look to post a good score,
Rew stated. He also acknowledged the potential challenges posed by the pitch, noting A bit of inconsistent bounce throughout the day. Usually gets a little bit worse, spins and we’ll look to set the tone early.
England has made one change to their side, with Alex French replacing Alex Green, who is reportedly ill.
A pitch report by Lydia Greenway and Andy Flower highlighted the challenging batting conditions expected at the Queens Sports Club. Greenway described the pitch as very, very dry
and pointed out patches on the pitch…straw grass in the middle of the pitch, but in amongst that, there are some of these really dry patches.
Flower added that the pitch would be inconsistent
and predicted that a balance of seam and spin bowling would be absolutely crucial.
He suggested that scores above 300 might not be anticipated given the conditions, anticipating tricky batting conditions
and an absolute cracker
of a match.
As of , England had reached a total of 277 for 7 after 50 overs. Thomas Rew’s century was instrumental in building the innings, supported by a contribution from Farhan Ahmed (28 not out off 26 balls). The Australian bowlers will now look to restrict England’s total and build momentum as they begin their chase.
Earlier in the innings, Aryan Sharma was caught at deep midwicket for 34 off 23 balls, a potential turning point according to commentators. Wickets also fell for Hayden Schiller and Naden Cooray, leaving captain Oliver Peake with dwindling support. As of , Australia had reached 209 for 8 after 42.3 overs. Peake himself had reached a half-century, scoring 64 off 67 balls, but was increasingly isolated as wickets tumbled.
The match represents a significant opportunity for both teams to advance to the final of the ICC Under-19 World Cup. Both Australia and England entered the semi-final stage undefeated, indicating a high level of performance throughout the tournament. The outcome of this match will determine which team will compete for the coveted title in Harare on .
The contest is being closely followed by cricket enthusiasts worldwide, with live scores and commentary available through various platforms including ESPN Cricinfo, Sportskeeda, and Cricbuzz. The match is also being broadcast on the Star Sports Network and streamed on JioHotstar.
