The Indian U19 men’s cricket team has been crowned champions of the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026 for a record-extending sixth time. In a dominant display at the Harare Sports Club on Friday, the “Boys in Blue” defeated England by 100 runs in the final, sealing the prestigious title in emphatic fashion.
The 2026 Final: A Batting Masterclass
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, India posted a monumental total of 411 for 9 in their 50 overs. The innings was fueled by a breathtaking performance from Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the teenage opener who smashed 175 off just 80 balls. His “jaw-dropping” knock included 15 boundaries and 15 sixes, leaving the English bowling attack completely demoralized.
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Captain Ayush Mhatre contributed a composed half-century to steady the ship, while Kanishk Chouhan provided late-innings fireworks to ensure India breached the 400-run barrier.
The Chase and Defense
Faced with a daunting target of 412, England showed spirit but struggled to maintain the required run rate. While Ben Dawkins and Ben Mayes offered early resistance and Caleb Falconer kept hopes alive with an aggressive 115, India’s bowlers struck at regular intervals. Deepesh Devendran claimed multiple wickets, supported by key breakthroughs from Mhatre and Chouhan. England was eventually bowled out for 311 in 40.1 overs, handing India a comfortable victory.
The Legacy of Champions: ICC U19 World Cup Winners List
This victory adds another glorious chapter to India’s rich Under-19 legacy, which began in 2000. Below is the complete list of champions and their captains since the tournament’s inception:
1988 (Australia): Australia – Captain: Geoff Parker
1998 (South Africa): England – Captain: Owais Shah
2000 (Sri Lanka): India – Captain: Mohammad Kaif
2002 (New Zealand): Australia – Captain: Cameron White
2004 (Bangladesh): Pakistan – Captain: Khalid Latif
2006 (Sri Lanka): Pakistan – Captain: Sarfaraz Ahmed
2008 (Malaysia): India – Captain: Virat Kohli
2010 (New Zealand): Australia – Captain: Mitchell Marsh
2012 (Australia): India – Captain: Unmukt Chand
2014 (UAE): South Africa – Captain: Aiden Markram
2016 (Bangladesh): West Indies – Captain: Shimron Hetmyer
2018 (New Zealand): India – Captain: Prithvi Shaw
2020 (South Africa): Bangladesh – Captain: Akbar Ali (Note: Towhid Hridoy was a key player)
2022 (West Indies): India – Captain: Yash Dhull
2024 (South Africa): Australia – Captain: Hugh Weibgen
2026 (Zimbabwe): India – Captain: Ayush Mhatre
Summary of India’s Dominance
With six titles (2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022, 2026), India is now two titles clear of Australia, their closest rival in the history of the youth tournament. Ayush Mhatre now joins the ranks of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as captains who have led India to global glory.
Ayush On Win
“I can’t express my feeling, but it’s a memorable moment for us in cricketing journey. (did they achieve everything they set out to achieve?) Yeah, the boys have played very well and what we have set the goals, they executed very well. And they played as a natural game. So, yeah, I’m really happy. (on Sooryavanshi) Yeah, he just keep at it. We have no words for him, what an innings he played. But yeah, we know he’s a fabulous batsman. So he has showed in this match what he can do. So, yeah, we are happy that we just carry forward the legacy that Rohit Sharma also has won the World Cup, Harmanpreet also and now we. So we are happy to carry forward the legacy. (about the support staff) No words for support staff because last eight, seven months, they are just hustling around us and the credit goes to them that they have worked on us. (what does he take away from this World Cup?) Same attitude we should play and how we have played here. So we will not play again in the same team, but we just we can just carry forward this attitude and play this type of cricket. (message to the fans back home) (speaks in Hindi) It feels really good, the support you guys gave from India sitting there, helped us a lot. Please continue to do that and we will keep winning it for you”.