Otago opener Tom Jones will captain a well-balanced and experienced New Zealand squad at the 2026 ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup, set to be co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia. The 15-member group blends returning World Cup players with promising newcomers, underlining New Zealand’s focus on both continuity and depth.
Jones, who featured in the 2024 Under-19 World Cup, continues his rapid rise after scoring a century on first-class debut against Wellington last month. He is one of three players in the squad with prior Under-19 World Cup experience, alongside batter Snehith Reddy and fast bowler Mason Clarke, both of whom also played in South Africa in 2024.
Five players in the squad already boast domestic experience. Reddy and Clarke made their List A debuts earlier this year, while wicketkeeper Aryan Mann, seamer Mason Clarke and bowling allrounder Jaskaran Sandhu have all featured at senior level. Reddy was one of the standout performers at the previous World Cup, hammering a tournament-high 147 not out against Nepal, while Clarke impressed with figures of 4 for 62 against runners-up India.
Several players earned selection after strong performances at the national Under-19 tournament in Lincoln last week. Hugo Bogue, Brandon Matzopoulos, Marco Alpe and Jacob Cotter all caught the selectors’ eye with their batting, while allrounders Harry Burns and Flynn Morey added further balance. Burns and Morey were particularly effective with the ball, each claiming a five-wicket haul and finishing the tournament with ten wickets apiece to strengthen New Zealand’s seam options.
Eligibility rules require players to be under 19 as of August 31, 2026. The squad will depart for Africa on January 2, with a preparatory training camp scheduled in Bulawayo ahead of the warm-up matches beginning on January 9.
New Zealand have been drawn in Group B and will open their campaign against the USA on January 18, with India and Bangladesh completing a challenging group.
Former New Zealand international Anton Devcich will serve as head coach, supported by NZC High Performance coaches Paul Wiseman and Graeme Aldridge, as the side looks to build momentum heading into the global tournament.
New Zealand squad for the Men’s Under-19 World Cup:
Tom Jones (capt), Marco Alpe, Hugo Bogue, Harry Burns, Mason Clarke, Jacob Cotter, Aryan Mann, Brandon Matzopoulos, Flynn Morey, Snehith Reddy, Callum Samson, Jaskaran Sandhu, Selwin Sanjay, Hunter Shore, Harry Waite
