The ICC U19 World Cup 2026 witnessed a pair of dominant performances on Wednesday, as England and Afghanistan recorded comprehensive victories in their respective group matches.
Ben Mayes’ Historic Innings Powers England
In the Group C clash at Takashinga Sports Club, Harare, England batted first and posted a massive 404/6, led by a sensational innings from Ben Mayes. The young Englishman smashed 191 runs off 117 balls, including 8 towering sixes and 18 crisp fours. This remarkable knock is now the second-highest individual score in U19 World Cup history.
Scotland struggled in reply and were bowled out for just 152 in 44.5 overs. Finlay Carter top-scored with 34 runs, while Max Chaplin contributed 22. The result gave England a huge 252-run victory and a commanding start in the tournament.
Afghanistan Overpower Tanzania in Group D
Meanwhile, in Group D at the High Performance Oval, Windhoek, Afghanistan secured a comfortable 9-wicket win over Tanzania. Tanzania batted first but were restricted to a mere 85 runs in 36 overs, with Augustino Meya Mwamele top-scoring at 14. Eight Tanzanian batsmen failed to reach double figures, and the team hit only 2 boundaries throughout the innings.
Afghanistan’s Nuristani Umarzai was the star with the ball, taking 5 wickets for just 9 runs, while Uzairullah Niazi claimed 2 wickets. Chasing a small target, Afghanistan wrapped up the game in just 12.4 overs. Faisal Shinozada led the chase with an unbeaten 55 off 34 balls, featuring 9 fours and a six.
With these wins, England and Afghanistan have already secured their spots in the next stage of the tournament, while West Indies and Tanzania are out of title contention. South Africa also advanced from Group D.
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