Australia vs West Indies Highlights, U19 World Cup 2026: Australia beat West Indies by 22 runs

Shaquan Belle to Will Malajczuk, SIX! ALL THE WAY! 19 runs off the over! Aussies are in the zone! Too short, climbs over the batter, around off, Malajczuk gets on top of the bounce and pulls it over square leg for a six.

Shaquan Belle to Will Malajczuk, Length ball on top of off, Malajczuk taps it to the man at mid off.

Shaquan Belle to Will Malajczuk, FOUR! Whipped away! Three boundaries in a row! Fires it in line of the stumps, tad short, Malajczuk clears his fornt leg and hits it past square leg for a boundary.

Shaquan Belle to Will Malajczuk, FOUR! That's much better from Malajczuk! In the slot, very full and on middle, Malajczuk punches as he shows full face of the bat, up and over mid on for four more.

Shaquan Belle to Will Malajczuk, FOUR! STREAKY! That wasn't far away from the stumps. Into the surface, touch short and on middle, Will Malajczuk bends to heave it away but inside edges it just over the middle pole and past the keeper to fine leg.

Shaquan Belle to Nitesh Samuel, Hard length, slanting on the pads, Samuel nudges it to square leg for a single.

Jakeem Pollard to Nitesh Samuel, Around that nagging length on off from Pollard, Nitesh Samuel plays this off his back foot and guides this to third man region for a run to end the over. 

Jakeem Pollard to Will Malajczuk, Hard length, on top of off. Will looks to flick this towards mid-wicket but closes the bat face early and gets it edged off the outside through gully for a single.

Jakeem Pollard to Nitesh Samuel, Hard length, on off, Nitesh Samuel opens the face of his bat and guides this through backward point for a run.

Jakeem Pollard to Will Malajczuk, Good length wide of off, Will Malajczuk drives this grounded to the right of mid off for one.

Jakeem Pollard to Will Malajczuk, FOUR! That's been crunched away in the blink of an eye. Width on offer from Jakeem Pollard as he bowls this short and wide outside off, Will Malajczuk waits for this on his back foot, and slashes hard at it. Gets it over the fielder at point for a boundary.

Jakeem Pollard to Will Malajczuk, Good length, going across the batter. Will Malajczuk defends this off his front foot.

Shaquan Belle to Will Malajczuk, Full and around middle and off, Will Malajczuk pushes this gently to extra cover and takes a single. Will keeps the strike at the start of the next over. 

Shaquan Belle to Will Malajczuk, Belle comes over the stumps, bowls it short and angling away from the batter. Will Malajczuk rises with the bounce and looks to play the square cut but misses.

Shaquan Belle to Will Malajczuk, FOUR! Second scoring stroke for Will Malajczuk and even this comes as a boundary. On a length around off, shaping back into the batter, Will Malajczuk strides to the pitch of the ball and nails the cover drive for a boundary with the ball racing through this lush green carpet in Harare through covers.

Shaquan Belle to Will Malajczuk, Good length around off, Will Malajczuk looks to thump this through covers but gets a bit late and ends up pushes this to point.

Shaquan Belle to Will Malajczuk, Good length around the fifth-stump again from Belle, shaping it back into the batter. Will Malajczuk covers his off-stump and leaves it. Good cricket all around. 

Shaquan Belle to Nitesh Samuel, Short and around off, shaping away from the batter. Nitesh Samuel hangs onto his back foot and fends this to deep square leg for one.

Jakeem Pollard to Nitesh Samuel, Hard length, on middle and leg, Nitesh Samuel drops this in front of covers and takes a quick single. 

Jakeem Pollard to Nitesh Samuel, On a length around off, Nitesh Samuel gives it a good look and lets it go past him. 

Jakeem Pollard to Nitesh Samuel, Good length, around middle and off, Nitesh Samuel gets right behind this ball and punches this firmly back to the bowler's left. Pollard fails to field this cleanly but does enough to keep it down to a dot.

Jakeem Pollard to Nitesh Samuel, Hard length, angling away from the batter. Nitesh Samuel shoulders his arms at it.

Jakeem Pollard to Nitesh Samuel, A touch too full, around off, swinging back into the batter. Nitesh Samuel presses in front to drive this but gets it edged off the inside and the ball rolls through backward square leg for a couple. 

Jakeem Pollard to Nitesh Samuel, Pitched up, around middle and off, Nitesh Samuel drives this well but fails to find the gap down the ground.

Shaquan Belle to Nitesh Samuel, Good length around off, Nitesh Samuel punches this towards the left of mid off and takes a single. Both the openers are off the mark now.

Shaquan Belle to Nitesh Samuel, Good length, in the line of the stumps. Nitesh Samuel hops back and looks to block this, gets it edged off the inside onto his pads.

Shaquan Belle to Nitesh Samuel, Belle hits the deck hard, on off, Nitesh Samuel gets right behind the line of it and keeps it out.

Shaquan Belle to Nitesh Samuel, Good length, around the fifth-stump line, Nitesh Samuel strides to the pitch of the ball and leaves it.

Shaquan Belle to Nitesh Samuel, Hard length, on top of off, Nitesh Samuel punches this to extra cover.

Shaquan Belle to Nitesh Samuel, Back of a length, wide outside off but inside the tramline. Nitesh Samuel doesn't go after it and leaves it.

Shaquan Belle will be operating with the other new ball. 

Jakeem Pollard to Will Malajczuk, FOUR! A boundary to get the scoring underway from Will Malajczuk. Overpitched, on middle and off, Will Malajczuk strides on top of the bounce and drives this all along the carpet through the right of mid off for a boundary to end the over. 

Jakeem Pollard to Will Malajczuk, Hard length, in the channel, around off, shaping away from the southpaw. Will Malajczuk looks to blocks this off his back foot but gets beaten again. 

Jakeem Pollard to Will Malajczuk, Swing and a miss from Will Malajczuk. On a length, a touch fuller this time from Jakeem Pollard​​, Will leans towards it and looks for the lofted drive but gets beaten.

Jakeem Pollard to Will Malajczuk, On a length wide of off, Will Malajczuk leaves it all alone.

Jakeem Pollard to Will Malajczuk, Pollard takes it away this time. Good length, around off, shaping away from the left-hander. Will Malajczuk looks to play within the line and gets beaten on the outside. 

Jakeem Pollard to Will Malajczuk, Back of a length, around middle and off, shaping it back into the batter. Will Malajczuk hangs onto his back foot and tucks this to mid-wicket for a dot.

We are all set for the action to begin after the pre-match formalities. Will Malajczuk has walked out with Nitesh Samuel for Australia Under-19 to open the innings. Jakeem Pollard will be operating with the new ball for West Indies Under-19. 

Pitch Report - While the bright, sunny conditions remain ideal, the higher water table, caused by the ground's natural slope, may result in a slightly slower surface than in previous games. Despite a light covering of dead grass that could offer early seam movement and the potential for turn as the match progresses. The wicket is designed to provide consistent bounce and remains a high-quality batting strip.

Australia Under-19 captain - Oliver Peake expressed satisfaction at being asked to bat first, noting that the outcome felt like a win-win as it matched his own toss preference. Reflecting on a challenging previous encounter against South Africa, Peake highlighted the value of his middle order gaining crucial game time and expressed hope that they would fire alongside a consistently strong top order today. To adapt to the dry surface and manage player workloads, the Aussies introduced Naden Cooray as an extra spin option and recalled Ben Gordon, resting Kasey Barton and William Byrom to ensure the squad remains sharp for the back end of the tournament.

West Indies U-19 captain - Joshua Dorne won the toss and elected to field first, a decision he made based on the historical success rate of teams batting second at the venue. Dorne expressed confidence in his team's pace attack, believing the surface characteristics would suit their bowlers, and assured that the team had done their homework and devised specific plans for the Australian players.

West Indies Under-19 (Playing XI) - Tanez Francis, Zachary Carter, Jewel Andrew (WK), Joshua Dorne (C), Kunal Tilokani (In for Shamar Apple), Jonathan Van Lange, Shaquan Belle, Vitel Lawes, R’jai Gittens (In for Aadian Racha), Jakeem Pollard, Micah McKenzie. 

Australia Under-19 (Playing XI) - Will Malajczuk, Nitesh Samuel, Steven Hogan, Oliver Peake (C), Alex Lee Young (WK), Jayden Draper, Aryan Sharma, Hayden Schiller, Naden Cooray (In for Kasey Barton), Ben Gordon (In for William Byrom), Charles Lachmund. 

TOSS - Up goes the coin and down it comes in favour of the Caribbean team. West Indies Under-19 elect to FIELD first.