Will Vimath Dinsara Lead Sri Lanka in the 2026 U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Vimath Dinsara is appointed captain of Sri Lanka for the 2026 U19 Men's Cricket World Cup.
- Kavija Gamage named vice-captain.
- Sri Lanka competes in Group C with Australia, Ireland, and Japan.
- The tournament starts on January 15 in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
- 16 teams will vie for the title, with the final on February 6.
Colombo, Jan 1 (NationPress) Vimath Dinsara has been appointed as the captain of the Sri Lankan team for the 2026 Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, as announced by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Thursday. Kavija Gamage will serve as vice-captain during the tournament that kicks off on January 15 in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
The squad boasts an impressive lineup of emerging batsmen, including Dinsara, Gamage, and Dimantha Mahavithana, along with talented all-rounders Viran Chamuditha and Chamika Heentigala. Sri Lanka is set to depart for Namibia on Thursday and aims to improve on their performance from the last edition held in South Africa in 2024, where they reached the Super Six stage.
In the forthcoming competition, Sri Lanka finds itself in Group C, competing against reigning champions Australia, Ireland, and Japan. The team's journey will commence against Japan on January 17 at the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek. Following this, they will face Ireland and Australia at the same venue on January 19 and 23, respectively.
The 16th edition of the Men’s Under-19 World Cup will feature 16 teams split into four groups of four. Each team will play the other three in their group, with the top three advancing to the Super Six stage.
The leading four teams from the Super Six will move on to the semifinals to take place on February 3 and 4 in Bulawayo and Harare, with the final scheduled for February 6 at the Harare Sports Club.
Teams such as Ireland, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Japan, Scotland, Australia, West Indies, Pakistan, New Zealand, England, and India have already announced their squads for the U19 World Cup.
In total, 16 teams will compete in the 2026 ICC Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup, with 41 matches slated for the tournament. The teams will be divided into four groups, with the top three advancing to the Super Six stage, while the fourth-placed teams in Groups A and D will face off, as will those in Groups B and C in the placement stage.
Sri Lanka squad: Vimath Dinsara (c), Kavija Gamage, Dimantha Mahavithana, Viran Chamuditha, Dulnith Sigera, Chamika Heentigala, Adam Hilmy, Chamarindu Nethsara, Sethmika Seneviratne, Kugathas Mathulan, Rasith Nimsara, Vigneshwaran Akash, Jeewantha Sriram, Senuja Wekunagoda, Malintha Silva