Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 edged closer on Saturday with five warm up matches spread across Zimbabwe and Namibia, and the rehearsal offered more than gentle loosening.
It revealed where teams already look settled, and where cracks are visible with the tournament barely days away.
After England and New Zealand opened the official warm up programme on Friday, attention shifted to Masvingo, Bulawayo, Harare and Windhoek, where weather, pitch conditions and squad depth shaped outcomes as much as talent.
The World Cup runs from January 15 to February 6, jointly hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia, and Saturday’s games showed which teams are already tuned to southern African conditions.
At Masvingo Sports Club, Pakistan’s fast bowlers made the sharpest early statement against Bangladesh. Opting to field, Pakistan struck immediately through Ali Raza and Umar Zaib, who removed the top order inside the opening spell and left Bangladesh scrambling for stability.
Kalam Siddiki, one of the more experienced batters in the Bangladeshi squad, resisted with a combative half century and dragged his side to 152 for seven before rain ended the contest. The match did not reach a result, but Pakistan’s new ball discipline stood out on a surface offering early movement.
Bulawayo Athletic Club hosted the most lopsided match of the day. India punished Scotland’s decision to field, piling up 374 for eight in a display that underlined the depth of their batting.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi set the tone with a blistering 96 from 50 balls, striking nine fours and seven sixes. He was backed by Aaron Varghese with 61, Vihaan Malhotra with 77, and Abhigyan Kundu with 55, a spread of contributions that will worry future opponents.
Scotland’s reply never settled. Olly Pillinger fell early to Deepesh Devendran, who finished with three for 14, and while Theo Robinson and Max Chaplin shared a brief stand, India’s spinners closed the door quickly. Mohamed Enaan took two for 24, Khilan Patel claimed three for four, and Scotland ended on 112 for nine in a rain shortened chase, losing by 121 runs under the DLS method.
In Harare, co-hosts Zimbabwe were pushed harder than the scoreboard might suggest. At Old Hararians, the hosts asked USA to bat first and were met with controlled aggression from Amrinder Gill, who anchored the innings with a composed century. Despite early wickets, the Americans maintained a scoring rate above five an over and reached 174 for four in the 34 overs possible before rain intervened. Zimbabwe’s standout bowler was Dhruv Patel, whose two for 15 kept the total within reach, but the abandoned match denied the hosts a look at their chase under pressure.
Windhoek staged two matches that both ended prematurely but offered clear lessons. At Wanderers Cricket Ground, West Indies struggled to convert starts after captain Joshua Dorne chose to bat against Ireland.
Reuben Wilson removed Tanez Francis early, and although Jewel Andrew battled through the middle overs for 81 from 107 balls, momentum never fully shifted. Luke Murray led Ireland’s attack with three for 39, supported by Thomas Ford’s two for 38. Isra-El Morton’s 36 lifted West Indies to 246 before weather closed the game.
At United Cricket Club Ground, Japan and Tanzania played out the day’s most dramatic finish. Japan’s bowlers, led by Nihar Parmar with three for 15 and Kazuma Kato-Stafford with two for 32, restricted Tanzania to 204 for nine after choosing to field. Tanzanian captain Laksh Bakrania steadied the lower order with 53, a knock that proved vital once rain reset the target.
Chasing 127 from 20 overs, Japan lost wickets early under sustained pressure. Bakrania returned to take two for 13, Raymond Francis added three for seven, and Tanzania surged to an 81-run victory on DLS, a result that underlined their ability to adapt quickly to changing conditions.
With just days remaining before the tournament proper begins, the warmups are no longer about easing in. They are exposing which teams are ready for the pace, the weather, and the consequences that come with a World Cup played far from neutral comfort.
