Two players of Sri Lankan origin, Nitesh Samuel and Naden Cooray, have been selected in Australia’s squad for the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 following standout performances in the Under-19 Male National Championships.
Victoria’s young talent, Oliver Peake, will captain Australia as they defend their title at the tournament, which runs from January 15 to February 6 in Namibia and Zimbabwe. The 19-year-old left-hander, already making waves in the Sheffield Shield, is returning to the U19 World Cup stage after helping Australia lift the trophy in South Africa in 2024 as the youngest member of the squad.
Australia has been drawn in a group alongside Ireland, Japan, and Sri Lanka. The tournament format sees the top three teams from each group advance to the Super Sixes, followed by the semi-finals and final.
The 15-player squad closely mirrors the team that recently faced India’s U19 side in a series of youth ODIs and Tests. Samuel, Cooray, and William Taylor – all NSW Metro representatives – bring valuable familiarity and experience to the squad. Samuel was the highest run-scorer in the eight-day tournament in Perth, amassing 364 runs at an average of 91 and earning the Player of the Tournament award.
Samuel and Cooray, along with Charles Lachmund (Queensland) and Alex Lee-Young (NSW Metro), were also named in the official team of the tournament. The squad will be coached by Tim Nielsen, assisted by Luke Butterworth and Travis Dean.
Australia U19 World Cup Squad 2026:
Oliver Peake (c) (Victoria), Kasey Barton (NSW), Naden Cooray (NSW), Jayden Draper (Queensland), Steven Hogan (Queensland), Thomas Hogan (ACT), Ben Gordon (Queensland), John James (NSW), Charles Lachmund (Queensland), Alex Lee-Young (NSW), Will Malajczuk (WA), Nitesh Samuel (NSW), Hayden Schiller (SA), Aryan Sharma (Victoria), William Taylor (NSW).