How Did Japan Secure Their Spot in the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2026?

New Delhi, April 29 (NationPress) Japan has officially become the 14th nation to secure a spot in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 following an impressive 115-run triumph over Fiji. This victory marks the culmination of an unbeaten week at the East Asia-Pacific Qualifier held in Sano.

The Japanese team kicked off the week with remarkable victories against PNG (by 106 runs and by 71 runs) and Fiji (by 6 wickets), entering Monday's match knowing that a fourth win would guarantee their place in the upcoming U19 Men’s CWC.

After winning the toss and opting to bat first without their regular captain Nikhil Pol, the opening duo of Hugo Tani-Kelly (38 runs) and Nihar Parmar (36 runs) set a solid foundation, putting together a partnership of 78 runs before Parmar was bowled by Liga Manara. A slight downturn occurred when Tani-Kelly was dismissed at 91 for two, but crucial contributions from Charlie Hara-Hinze (21 runs) and Kazuma Kato-Stafford (25 runs) pushed them to a competitive total of 167 all out in 43 overs.

The standout bowlers for Fiji were Joeli Moala and Manara, who took three for 33 and two for 29, respectively.

Faced with the largest chase of the tournament, Fiji began with Maika Kamikamica and Peni Mawa trying to withstand the initial bowling assault, but it took just until the end of the sixth over for their resistance to crumble, with both openers falling in quick succession to Kato-Stafford and Tani-Kelly.

The wicket of Vakatawa Jone brought Manav Narayan to the crease, and despite a valiant effort of 20 runs from 35 balls, Fiji succumbed to the skillful Japanese bowling attack, losing wickets at regular intervals. Hara-Hinze (4 for 13) and Parmar (3 for 0 and a run out) wreaked havoc through the middle and lower order.

Parmar claimed the final wicket, leaving Fiji well short of Japan's total, thus sealing a 115-run victory and a coveted World Cup berth in front of ecstatic home fans.

Reacting to their qualification, Japan's captain Pol expressed, “We are absolutely thrilled to qualify for the World Cup. It’s the most significant event on the U19 calendar, and following in the footsteps of the 2020 team makes us extremely proud. I am eagerly looking forward to representing our nation in Africa next year.”

The concluding day of the tournament saw PNG achieve their first win, overcoming Fiji by seven wickets in a rain-affected match. After the conclusion of the event, Japanese players Hara-Hinze and Parmar were honored as the top performers of the week, with Parmar receiving the awards for Batter and Bowler of the Tournament (scoring 121 runs and taking 13 wickets across four matches), while Hara-Hinze was awarded Player of the Tournament (with 92 runs and 12 wickets).

Further, Japan had even more reason to celebrate as five players were named in the Team of the Tournament. Captain Pol joined Parmar, Hara-Hinze, Tani-Kelly, and Skyler Nakayama-Cook, while the remaining spots were filled by Fiji’s Narayan, Moala, and Manara, along with PNG's Gaba Frank, Vagi Vani, and Anthony David.

A total of 16 teams will compete in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 scheduled to take place in Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Ten teams automatically qualified for the event as the top Full Member nations from the 2024 edition: Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and West Indies.

The host nation, Zimbabwe, has also gained automatic qualification. The remaining five spots will be filled through regional qualification pathways, with only one team from each regional qualifier progressing to the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026.

Last month, Tanzania became the first team to secure a spot through this method by winning the Africa Qualifier, and Afghanistan also clinched their World Cup ticket after triumphing in the recent Asia Qualifier held in Nepal.

Japan's victory in Sano signifies their qualification as the 14th team, with qualifiers in Europe and the Americas set to take place in July and August, where the final teams will be confirmed.