Bulawayo, Zimbabwe – In a highly anticipated semi-final clash at the ICC U19 World Cup 2026, Australia U19 have asserted early dominance against England U19. The match, being held at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, sees the two undefeated teams facing off for a place in the final.
England won the toss and elected to bat first, but the decision quickly proved to be a challenging one as Australia's bowlers made early inroads. Will Byrom struck in the second over, dismissing Ben Dawkins for just 1 run. England then attempted to rebuild through a partnership between Ben Mayes and Joseph Moores, who put on a crucial 54-run stand. However, Australia wrestled back control by dismissing both set batsmen in quick succession. Aryan Sharma accounted for Moores (25), while Hayden Schiller removed Mayes (24).
The early wickets have put England on the back foot, with the score at 127/3 in 24.1 overs. Australia's bowlers have been disciplined, maintaining tight lines and lengths to restrict the scoring opportunities for the English batsmen. The Australian team has demonstrated impressive depth in both batting and bowling throughout the tournament, which has contributed to their strong performance. Led by Oliver Peake, Australia is eyeing their seventh U19 World Cup final.
England, on the other hand, came into the semi-final with an explosive batting lineup. Ben Mayes had previously scored a remarkable 191 against Scotland, and captain Thomas Rew has also been in excellent form, including an unbeaten 167-run partnership with Mayes against Zimbabwe. Despite their batting prowess, England will need to be cautious and avoid further setbacks if they want to post a competitive total. Manny Lumsden is also a player to watch, after his five-wicket haul in the match against New Zealand.
The semi-final is being shown live on Star Sports Network, with live streaming available on JioHotstar in India.
With Australia in control, England will need to dig deep and show resilience to turn the tide of the match. The coming overs will be crucial as they look to rebuild their innings and put pressure back on the Australian bowlers. The winner will advance to the final, scheduled for February 5 at the Harare Sports Club.