Wednesday January 28 ’26
Australia 314 for 7 (Peake 109, Samuel 56; Pollard 2-37) beating West Indies 292 for 9 (Carter 64, Dorne 62; Lachmund 4-66) with 22 runs
Captain Oliver Peake led from the front with a century as Australia defeated the West Indies by 22 runs to book their place in the semi-finals of the 2026 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Peake’s 109 helped the Windies 315 to victory, and they fell just short in a close match despite half-centuries ahead of Zachary Carter and Joshua Dorne.
Australia remain unbeaten in the competition, while the West Indies now need defeats to both Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, along with a big net run rate swing, if they are to qualify.
Batting first in Harare, Australia quickly got into the groove, openers Will Malajczuk and Nitesh Samuel adding 73 in the first nine overs.
Malajczuk hit eight fours and two sixes in his 48 from 30 balls before falling behind, while Samuel was more vigilant.
His 56 came from 74 deliveries and helped lay the platform for the middle order to be cashed in.
Peake was chief among those who took advantage and saved the best for last, laying down the first ball of the final long ago to bring up his maiden ICC U19 Men’s World Cup century.
Peake was bowled out for a second as Australia finished at 314 for seven, Alex Lee Young contributed an entertaining 45 while Jayden Draper chipped in with 29. Jakeem Pollard (2/37) and R’jai Gittens (2/45) were the pick of the West Indian attack.
Zachary Carter got the reply from a flyer, hitting four huge sixes and seven fours as he cruised to a half-century despite losing opening partner Tanez Francis for 27.
The introduction of Naden Cooray did the trick for Australia, the spinner cleaning up Carter with a 42-ball 64 to leave the Windies at 123 for two.
Jewel Andrew made 44 before being bowled by a Hayden Schiller yorker, but Kunal Tilokani nestled alongside captain Joshua Dorne.
West Indies needed 83 off the last 10 overs with seven wickets in hand but lost both set batters, Tilokani trailing by 35 before Dorne played on for 62.
Jonathan Van Lange’s 26 kept Australia on their toes but a flurry of wickets at the death sealed the deal as the run rate rose, Charles Lachmund finished with four for 64 and Aryan Sharma took wickets with successive deliveries in the penultimate as the holders sealed their progress.
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