India U19 defeated England U19 in the final of the tournament in Harare by 100 runs.
India's Under-19 cricket team made history by winning their sixth ICC U-19 World Cup title with a dominant performance against England on Friday at Harare Sports Club. The victory extended India's tournament record and highlights the young team's extraordinary talent.
Ayush Mhatre, the India U19 captain, won the toss and chose to bat first. After Aaron George was dismissed for 9, Mhatre and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi added 142 runs for the second wicket, with Mhatre scoring 53 off 51 balls.
Sooryavanshi then shared an 89-run stand with Vedant Trivedi and dominated the England attack, bringing up his century in just 55 balls and reaching 150 in 71 deliveries.
Sooryavanshi went on to smash a brilliant 175 off 80 balls, including 15 fours and 15 sixes, as India raced to 251/3 in 25 overs. England staged a comeback later, restricting India to 411/9 in 50 overs. Abhigyan Kundu (40) and Kanishk Chouhan (37* off 20) boosted the total at the end.
In reply, England U19 received contributions from Ben Dawkins (66), Ben Mayes (44), and Thomas Rew (31), while Caleb Falconer impressed with 115 off 67 balls. However, the chase fell short as England were bowled out for 311 in 40.2 overs. RS Ambrish claimed 3/56, with Deepesh Devendran and Kanishk Chouhan taking two wickets each.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi won the Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament for his exploits.
President of India, Droupadi Murmu, took to the official X handle to congratulate the World Champion Indian U19 team.
She wrote: “Heartiest congratulations to Team India on winning the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup 2026 for the record sixth time! Remaining undefeated throughout the tournament, the team has done the nation proud with its dominant performance. I wish the talented young players a very bright future ahead. I am sure that Indian cricket will go from strength to strength.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took to his X account to send across wishes to the Indian U19 team for the ICC U19 World Cup win.
"India’s cricketing talent shines! Proud of our U-19 team for bringing home the World Cup. The team has played very well through the tournament, showcasing exceptional skill. This win will inspire several young sportspersons too. Best wishes to the players for their upcoming endeavours," Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X.