The Under-19 World Cup 2026 match between New Zealand and the United States of America is now underway. New Zealand U19 captain Tom Jones won the toss and decided to bowl first. This decision came after considering the weather conditions and the pitch report.
Toss and Team Decisions
Tom Jones explained his choice to field first. He mentioned the helpful conditions for bowling and expressed confidence in his team's preparation. "We are going to bowl first," Jones said. "With the weather around and helpful conditions on offer, it's better to bowl first. Our preparation has been great. It's a great group with a lot of belief and talent. It's about playing a really positive brand of cricket."
United States of America U19 captain Utkarsh Srivastava shared his thoughts as well. He acknowledged the challenging batting conditions in the first hour. "I think we would have bowled first today, it will be difficult to bat in the first hour," Srivastava stated. "We need to keep our wickets intact. There are parents and our family members out in the crowd so we are thankful to them."
Playing XIs for Both Teams
United States of America U19 Playing XI:
- Amrinder Gill
- Sahil Garg
- Adnit Jhamb
- Utkarsh Srivastava (c)
- Shiv Shani
- Amogh Arepally (w)
- Nitish Sudini
- Adit Kappa
- Sahir Bhatia
- Rishabh Shimpi
- Ritvik Appidi
New Zealand U19 Playing XI:
- Aryan Mann
- Hugo Bogue
- Tom Jones (c)
- Snehith Reddy
- Marco Alpe (w)
- Jacob Cotter
- Brandon Matzopoulos
- Callum Samson
- Flynn Morey
- Harry Waite
- Mason Clarke
Pitch and Weather Report
Rohan Gavaskar and Ed Rainsford provided the pitch report. They highlighted the efforts of the ground staff after the previous day's match between India and Bangladesh. The weather forecast shows a high of 23 degrees Celsius and a low of 19 degrees, with an 89 percent chance of rain.
"Not the best signs, but the curator and ground staff here work incredibly hard, and we’re hopeful we can get a game underway," Gavaskar noted. "This is actually a brand-new surface. We played on one two squares away recently, but from what I heard from the captains yesterday, there was a bit of a two-paced nature to that wicket, with some stickiness, obviously due to all the rain we’ve had."
Rainsford added, "For me, I think we’re likely to see similar conditions today. More importantly, the key will be how players adjust to the changing weather, potential breaks in play, and being ready to go at any moment. On the surfaces we’ve seen so far, there’s been some turn and a bit of extra bounce, but it’s all been about adapting quickly."
Live Score Updates
The match started with New Zealand bowling first. After 5.2 overs, the United States of America U19 scored 29 runs for the loss of 1 wicket. Mason Clarke and Flynn Morey opened the bowling for New Zealand.
Key Moments in the Early Overs
In the first over, Mason Clarke conceded 7 runs without taking a wicket. Amrinder Gill hit a four off the first ball, adding two more runs later in the over.
Flynn Morey bowled the second over, where Sahil Garg scored a boundary and a couple of runs. The over yielded 11 runs for New Zealand.
The third over saw Mason Clarke return, giving away only 3 runs while maintaining pressure on the batsmen.
Flynn Morey's second over proved crucial. He took the wicket of Amrinder Gill, who was bowled out. Adnit Jhamb then joined Sahil Garg at the crease. Jhamb scored a four and a couple of runs in that over, bringing the total to 29/1 after 5 overs.
As of the latest update, the score stands at 29 for 1 after 5.2 overs. Sahil Garg has 9 runs off 17 balls, while Adnit Jhamb has 6 runs off 5 balls. Mason Clarke has bowling figures of 3-1-10-0, and Flynn Morey has 2-0-19-1.
Match Context and Expectations
This U19 World Cup 2026 match is being played at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. Both teams are looking to make their mark in the tournament. New Zealand, with their decision to bowl first, aims to exploit the early conditions. The United States of America, batting first, focuses on building a solid total despite the challenging weather.
Fans and family members are present in the crowd, adding to the excitement. The players acknowledge their support and are determined to perform well. With rain likely to interrupt play, adaptability will be key for both sides.
The live coverage continues as the match progresses. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting encounter between New Zealand U19 and the United States of America U19 in the U19 World Cup 2026.
