The ICC Beneath-19 Males’s Cricket World Cup is underway as the following era of expertise from 16 nations descend on Zimbabwe and Namibia for the sixteenth version of the competitors.
The match has offered the platform for most of the sport’s superstars and family names to launch their careers – Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dewald Brevis and Kwena Maphaka have been voted the standout gamers lately.
England’s 2010 squad included the likes of Jos Buttler, Joe Root and Ben Stokes, however they haven’t tasted success since their solely triumph in 1998 – Rob Key and Graeme Swann amongst these concerned then.
More moderen graduates have included Harry Brook (2018) and Jacob Bethell (2024), with the 15-member 2026 cohort providing the most recent glimpse at potential future England internationals – most of whom have already had expertise in county cricket.
England start their marketing campaign on Friday in Group B in opposition to Pakistan in Harare, the place they will even face co-hosts Zimbabwe and neighbours Scotland for a spot within the Tremendous 6 stage.
Australia captain Oliver Peake, India’s 14-year-old wonderkid Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Pakistan opener Sameer Minhas are anticipated to make a giant splash, however who’re among the key names to be careful for in an England shirt?
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(Adam Davy/PA)
Thomas Rew
The youthful of the highly-rated Rew brothers, 18-year-old sensation Thomas will lead the England aspect after representing the Lions out in Australia, which included a First-Class debut and a powerful half-century in opposition to a powerful England XI at Lilac Hill.
The wicketkeeper-batter, who has caught the attention together with his dazzling stroke-making potential, loved a productive collection in opposition to India in 2025 – most notably a match-winning 131 off 89 balls at Northampton – and earlier this week struck an unbeaten 71 in a warm-up match in opposition to the identical opposition.
A centurion for the Skilled County Membership Choose XI in opposition to Zimbabwe and an everyday for Somerset in the course of the Metro Financial institution One-Day Cup in his debut season, Thomas can be aiming to go one higher than his brother James, who was a runner-up on this competitors 4 years in the past, regardless of top-scoring with a resilient 95 within the closing.
A possible star of this World Cup and a meteoric rise displaying no indicators of slowing down with greater honours on the horizon.
Farhan Ahmed
One other with household connections is Nottinghamshire off-spinner Farhan Ahmed, whose elder brother Rehan was additionally a member of the squad that fell narrowly brief in 2022.
Having been concerned with the Beneath-19 setup because the age of 15, Ahmed has been named as Rew’s deputy for the match after captaining the aspect on the current tour to the Caribbean, wherein he additionally showcased his potential with bat in hand.
Having burst onto the scene by changing into the youngest bowler to say a five-wicket haul in County Championship historical past in the course of the 2024 season, Ahmed loved a fruitful 2025 marketing campaign, which delivered eight appearances in Notts’ Championship title success, a T20 Blast hat-trick and a franchise deal within the Hundred.
Just like the Rew’s, the Ahmed brothers are additionally each tipped to change into future regulars throughout England senior sides – Rehan being the youngest Take a look at debutant in 2022 – and 17-year-old Farhan might be into account as a long-term resolution to their spin conundrum within the longest format.
Ralphie Albert
The Surrey all-rounder, grandson of snooker legend Jimmy White, capped a promising 12 months of progress in 2025 by signing his first skilled contract with the county in October.
Albert impressed in the course of the two Youth Take a look at matches in opposition to India final summer time with a rating of fifty at Beckenham and a ten-wicket match haul at Chelmsford, while extra just lately making a match-winning contribution with each bat and ball of their warm-up victory over New Zealand.
The left-arm spinner made his Surrey debut within the One-Day Cup and struck 96 at Trent Bridge in his solely innings, earlier than that includes within the closing County Championship match of the season in opposition to Hampshire, the place he registered a half-century and two wickets.
Ben Dawkins
The South Africa-born batter could have a key function to play on the prime of the order, significantly within the absence of the highly-talented Isaac Mohammed, who was just lately dominated out of the match with a thumb harm.
Dawkins recorded a Youth Take a look at century and three consecutive YODI half-centuries in the course of the collection in opposition to India, earlier than making his First-Class debut for Kent, wherein he handed fifty on two events throughout 4 appearances in the direction of the again finish of the 2025 season.
Publicity within the One-Day Cup additionally proved rewarding with a mean in extra of fifty, notably a maiden skilled century – 111 not out from 105 balls – away at Northamptonshire, and the 19-year-old has arrived right here in kind following scores of 97 and 78 within the November tour to the West Indies.
PICTURE: Alamy
Alex Inexperienced
The Leicestershire academy product made the headlines final season with a shocking breakthrough marketing campaign within the One-Day Cup, the place the strapping 6ft 7” seamer returned three five-wicket hauls in seven matches to complete the group stage because the joint-leading bowler within the competitors.
An everyday for the Beneath-19 aspect, Inexperienced has but to actually flourish on the worldwide stage in the identical method, however can be hoping he could make an impression right here as a member of an thrilling tempo unit.
Ben Mayes
The wicketkeeper-batter isn’t any stranger to the large event, having already featured for Hampshire in two home finals simply 14 video games into his skilled profession.
Mayes was elevated into the T20 Blast aspect on the crunch quarter-final stage off the again of a promising maiden One-Day Cup marketing campaign with 230 runs and two half-centuries, together with an expertly-judged match-winning knock in a sizeable chase in opposition to Derbyshire.
A highly-rated expertise, however solely managed two double-figure scores in seven innings in opposition to West Indies and can be aiming to showcase his true functionality within the no.3 place.
James Minto
The left-arm fast went viral on the finish of the 2024 season for a fierce bouncer delivered to seasoned professional Rory Burns on the Kia Oval, a sport wherein a then 16-year-old debutant turned the youngest bowler since World Struggle Two to take a First-Class wicket.
The most recent quick bowler off the Durham manufacturing line, Minto, solely featured on 4 events for the county throughout the 2025 season, however continued to rewrite their historical past books by changing into their youngest ever half-centurion as a nightwatchman in opposition to Nottinghamshire.
An angle and level of distinction to the assault as a left-armer naturally generates buzz round any younger bowler, however Minto has been in stellar kind for the Beneath-19’s in current months and has 24 YODI profession wickets at a mean of 21.79, while additionally claiming 5-34 in opposition to India in Monday’s warm-up conflict.
Sebastian Morgan
Like Farhan, seam bowler Morgan is the one different member of the squad who was additionally chosen for the 2024 version.
The Middlesex academy graduate took two wickets on his senior debut within the T20 Blast in opposition to Gloucestershire in July and in addition struck in every of his 4 Listing A appearances the next month.
Primarily a new-ball bowler, Morgan has additionally demonstrated his functionality with the bat when he made a invaluable 61 off 53 balls to assist Middlesex safe a slender one-wicket win in opposition to Lancashire within the One-Day Cup, earlier than scoring 97 at Lord’s in opposition to Gloucestershire in the course of the closing spherical of the County Championship.
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