Afghanistan Secures Spot in 2026 U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup After Asia Qualifier Triumph
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Synopsis
Afghanistan has qualified for the 2026 ICC Men's U19 Cricket World Cup after a successful qualifying tournament in Asia, despite rain washing out the final matches. This marks their ninth appearance in the tournament, and Captain Mahboob Khan expresses pride and determination for future competitions.
Key Takeaways
- Afghanistan qualifies for the 2026 U19 World Cup.
- Dominated the Asia qualifier tournament.
- Khalid Ahmadzai was named Player of the Tournament.
- Final matches were canceled due to rain.
- Afghanistan expresses pride and determination for future competitions.
New Delhi, April 19 (NationPress) Afghanistan has successfully secured their place in the 2026 ICC Men's U19 Cricket World Cup, which is scheduled to be held early next year in Nambia and Zimbabwe. Their qualification came after a hard-fought victory in a competitive qualifying tournament in Asia, although the final day’s matches were canceled due to rain in Kathmandu.
Afghanistan kicked off their qualifying journey with impressive victories, including an eight-wicket triumph over Oman and Hong Kong China. They then posted an astounding score of 359/4, defeating the UAE by 180 runs (via the DLS method), positioning themselves favorably ahead of the crucial match against Nepal.
However, continuous rain on Saturday rendered the pitch at Lower Mulpani ground unplayable. Consequently, Afghanistan's net run rate of +4.82 was sufficient to secure the top position over Nepal (+3.58), marking their ninth participation in the U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup and becoming the 13th team to confirm their entry for the upcoming tournament, with three spots still available.
“Qualifying for the World Cup is a dream come true. This is a proud moment for every Afghan. We played with heart, and today our hard work paid off. This victory is for our nation, for every young boy who dreams of wearing the Afghanistan jersey,” expressed Afghanistan’s captain Mahboob Khan.
“We are going to the World Cup and this is just the beginning. We will continue to work harder, remain humble, and strive for glory on the world stage. Finally, I want to thank my teammates, coaches, and all the support staff. We stood together in tough times, and now we celebrate together,” he added.
Throughout the qualifying tournament, wicketkeeper-batter Khalid Ahmadzai was named the Player of the Tournament, scoring a total of 202 runs, including a remarkable 132 in the significant victory over the UAE. The attention now turns to the East Asia-Pacific qualifiers, where Japan, Fiji, and PNG will vie for a World Cup spot in Sano, Japan, from April 24-29.
