Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 16:The United States have officially secured the final spot for the 2026 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, becoming the 16th team to qualify for the prestigious tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Led by wicketkeeper-batter Arjun Mahesh, the USA U19 team remained unbeaten throughout the Americas Qualifier held in Rydal, Georgia, sealing their World Cup berth with a match to spare.
The team’s path to qualification was marked by a commanding 65-run victory over Canada in their opening game, followed by dominant performances against Bermuda and Argentina. On matchday four, the USA again defeated Bermuda convincingly before dismissing Argentina for just 34 and securing a nine-wicket win, taking their tally to 10 points and making their qualification unassailable.
Standout Performances
• Amrinder Singh Gill has emerged as a key performer with the bat, scoring 199 runs in just three innings.
• Spinners Ansh Rai and Sahir Bhatia have been effective with the ball, each claiming seven wickets in the tournament so far.
Full Line-Up for the 2026 U19 World Cup
The USA join 15 other teams, including 10 automatic qualifiers and 5 regional champions:
? Automatic Qualifiers:
• Zimbabwe (Co-hosts)
• Australia (Defending champions)
• India
• England
• Pakistan
• Bangladesh
• New Zealand
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka
• West Indies
?? Regional Qualifiers:
• USA (Americas)
• Afghanistan (Asia)
• Tanzania (Africa)
• Japan (East Asia-Pacific)
• Scotland (Europe)
Tournament Format
• 16 teams will be divided into four groups of four.
• The top three teams from each group move to the Super Six stage.
• Points, wins, and net run rate earned against other Super Six qualifiers will carry forward.
• Each team will play two cross-group games in the Super Six (e.g., A1 plays D2 & D3).
• The top two teams from each Super Six group will qualify for the semi-finals, followed by the final.
With a young, promising squad and strong momentum, Team USA U19 will head into the 2026 World Cup looking to make their mark on the global stage.