India Trounce England By 100 Runs, Become U19 World Champions For Record-Extending Sixth Time

It was perhaps fitting that in a tournament showcasing cricket's next heap of (potential) stars, India's brightest young talent played the biggest part in the final. The irresistible Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made it his night with an innings for the ages, as India pummelled England by 100 runs to lift the ICC Under-19 World Cup for a record-extending sixth time.

Sooryavanshi, all of 14, bludgeoned an 80-ball 175 studded with a record 15 sixes, as the Boys In Blue posted a mammoth 411-run total before bundling England out for 311. The Ayush-Mhatre led side thus topped off India's fifth consecutive summit clash appearance with a glittering victory at the Harare Sports Club on Friday (February 6, 2026). As for the Young Lions, their dream of a second title, after almost three decades, stood dashed.

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India sealed a place in the final with a dominant seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in the previous match. Led by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s rapid 68, before Aaron George’s wonderful century (115 off 104), India chased down a target of 311 – the highest successful chase in the tournament’s history.

As a result, the junior side led by Ayush Mhatre sealed a place in the decider for a record 10th time. India won the U19 World Cup five times – in 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, and 2022 – and added to that tally this year.

England, like their opponents India, had also been undefeated prior to the final. They edged Australia by 27 runs in the semi-final, with captain Thomas Rew standing out with a hundred (110 off 107). The Three Lions have won this tournament only once, back in 1998, and could not complete a reprise.

India vs England, ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2026 Final: Toss Update

India U19 captain Ayush Mhatre won the toss and opted to bat first.

India vs England, ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2026 Final: Playing XIs

India: Aaron George, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ayush Mhatre (c), Vihaan Malhotra, Vedant Trivedi, Abhigyan Kundu (wk), RS Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan Patel, Henil Patel, Deepesh Devendran.

England: Ben Dawkins, Joseph Moores, Ben Mayes, Thomas Rew (wk) (c), Caleb Falconer, Ralphie Albert, Farhan Ahmed, Sebastian Morgan, James Minto, Manny Lumsden, Alex Green.

India vs England, ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2026 Final: Squads

India: Aaron George, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ayush Mhatre (c), Vihaan Malhotra, Vedant Trivedi, Abhigyan Kundu (wk), RS Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan Patel, Henil Patel, Deepesh Devendran, Harvansh Pangalia, Mohamed Enaan, Udhav Mohan, Kishan Kumar Singh.

England: Ben Dawkins, Joseph Moores, Ben Mayes, Thomas Rew (wk) (c), Caleb Falconer, Ralphie Albert, Farhan Ahmed, Sebastian Morgan, James Minto, Manny Lumsden, Alex French, Alex Green, Isaac Mohammed, Luke Hands, Will Bennison, Ali Farooq.