LONDON: England and Afghanistan recorded significant victories in their respective matches at the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026, enhancing their prospects of advancing to the Super Six stage. England triumphed over Zimbabwe by eight wickets, while Afghanistan defeated the West Indies by 138 runs. Meanwhile, a match between New Zealand and the USA ended in a washout, resulting in a shared outcome.
According to International Cricket Council: England’s match against Zimbabwe saw the latter struggle after being put in to bat, with their openers dismissed for a meager total. Contributions from Kian Blignaut, Dhruv Patel, and Captain Simbarashe Mudzengerere enabled Zimbabwe to post a score of 208. However, England’s Ben Mayes and Captain Thomas Rew led a successful chase, securing victory in 28 overs. England is set to face Scotland in their final group game, while Zimbabwe will compete against Pakistan.
Afghanistan’s encounter with the West Indies was marked by a robust start, with opening batters Khalid Ahmadzai and Osman Sadat forming a solid partnership. Despite a brief Windies comeback, Captain Mehboob Taskin’s leadership helped Afghanistan post 262/6. In response, West Indies struggled against Afghanistan’s bowling, with Jewel Andrew’s half-century being a lone bright spot. Afghanistan’s bowlers, led by Nooristani Omarzai, dismantled the opposition for 124 runs, confirming Afghanistan’s place in the Super Six.
The match between New Zealand and the USA saw an impressive performance from USA’s Nitish Sudini, whose century helped his team to a total of 253 after early setbacks. However, rain intervened, resulting in the match being called off and points shared. New Zealand is scheduled to play India next, while the USA will face Bangladesh.