ICC U-19 Men’s World Cup 2026 begins: Jay Shah hails youth events as breeding ground for cricket stars

• What happened: The ICC U-19 Men’s World Cup 2026 kicks off on January 15, co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia.

• Why it matters now: ICC chairman Jay Shah highlighted the role of youth tournaments in shaping the careers of cricket’s biggest stars.

• What changes for people: Fans can follow emerging cricket talents and witness the future stars of the sport.

• Who is affected: Under-19 teams, cricket enthusiasts, and talent scouts across the world.

New Delhi, January 15: The ICC U-19 Men’s World Cup 2026 begins today, with India opening its campaign against the USA in Bulawayo, led by captain Ayush Mhatre. ICC chairman Jay Shah wished all teams luck and said in an X post, “Our youth events have long been the pathway for some of cricket’s biggest stars, and I am sure that will be the case again.”

India enters the tournament with a strong track record, having won 16 Youth ODIs and lost just five, giving them a win-loss ratio of 3.2. Vaibhav Suryavanshi leads India’s batting with 973 Youth ODI runs at an average of 54.05, including three centuries and four fifties, and a strike rate above 164.

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India’s recent form

In the lead-up to the U-19 World Cup, India has won five of six series, including:

• A 3-0 clean sweep against Australia at home

• A 3-2 win over England in the UK

• A 3-0 series win against Australia and South Africa

However, India has struggled in the ACC U-19 Asia Cups, losing to Pakistan in 2025 and Bangladesh in 2024, as well as the U19 World Cup 2024 final to Australia by 79 runs.