Cricket’s next generation collides in Harare: India vs England in the ICC U19 World Cup 2026 final, Friday at Harare Sports Club. ICC’s Thursday bulletin confirms South African Lubabalo Gcuma and Kiwi Shaun Haig as on-field umpires, priming the pitch for impartial, expert judgment.
Gcuma’s tournament highlights include India’s gritty 18-run Bangladesh win, Pakistan Super Six success, England’s seven-wicket Bangladesh bash. Haig called India’s semi-final vs Afghanistan—311-run chase nailed—sans prior England involvement.
Full panel: Zahid Basheer (TV umpire), Masudur Mukul (fourth), Graeme La Brooy (referee). Second-ever India-England U19 final, post-2022.
Both flawless: India’s 10th final for sixth title; England’s sixth for second (1998 sole win). Semis recapped—India’s pursuit, England’s Australia shock (27 runs).
India under Ayush Mhatre: Aaron George, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, wicketkeeper Abhigyan Kundu, allrounder RS Ambarish, more. England led by Thomas Reev: Ben Mays, Farhan Ahmed (spin threat), Manny Lumsden.
Beyond umpires, this is youth unleashed—power-hitting, cunning spin, athletic fields. A win catapults stars to senior radars. Harare hosts destiny’s duel.
Complete India XI prospects: Aaron George, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Ayush Mhatre (captain), Vihan Malhotra, Vedant Trivedi, Abhigyan Kundu (wk), RS Ambarish, Kanishk Chauhan, Khilan Patel, Henil Patel, Deepesh Devendran, Harvansh Pangalia, Mohammad Enan, Udhhav Mohan, Kishan Kumar Singh.
England’s promising unit: Ben Dawkins, Joseph Moores, Ben Mays, Thomas Reev (c/wk), Caleb Faulkner, Ralfy Albert, Farhan Ahmed, Sebastian Morgan, James Minto, Manny Lumsden, Alex French, Alex Green, Isaac Mohammed, Luke Hands, Will Benison, Ali Farooq.