Afghanistan emerged victorious from a competitive Asia Qualifier on Saturday, landing top spot and becoming the latest nation to qualify for the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 in Zimbabwe and Namibia by virtue of superior net run rate, with the final round of fixtures in Kathmandu abandoned due to rain.
Their campaign began with dominant eight-wicket wins against Oman and Hong Kong China, before a mammoth score of 359 for four helped them defeat the UAE by 180 runs (D/L) and put them into the driver’s seat heading into Saturday’s winner-takes-all tie against Nepal.
With the hosts also enjoying an unbeaten week, fans had hoped to witness a dramatic conclusion to the competition, however persistent rain meant no play was possible at the Lower Mulpani ground.
As a result, Afghanistan’s net run rate of +4.82 was enough to secure top spot from Nepal (+3.58) and deliver their ninth appearance at an U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup.
The post-match celebrations, led by captain Mahboob Khan, also honoured top-scorer Khalid Ahmadzai – the wicketkeeper-batter taking home the Player of the Tournament prize with 202 runs during the week which included a stellar 132 in the win over the UAE.
Reacting to their qualification, Afghanistan skipper Mahboob said: “Qualifying for the World Cup is a dream come true. This is a proud moment for every Afghan. We played with heart, and today our hard work paid off.
“This victory is for our nation, for every young boy who dreams of wearing the Afghanistan jersey. We are going to the World Cup and it is just the beginning. We will continue to work harder, stay humble, and fight for glory on the world stage.
“In the end, I want to thank my teammates, coaches, and the entire support staff. We stood together in tough times, and now we celebrate together.”
As a result of the win, Afghanistan are the latest team to confirm their place among the 16 that will compete at next year’s ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026.
Ten teams automatically qualified for the event as the best-placed Full Member nations from the previous edition in 2024. These are: Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies.
Full Member hosts of the 2026 edition Zimbabwe have also secured automatic qualification.
The remaining five spots are determined through regional qualification pathways, with only the winning team from each Regional Qualifier advancing to the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026.
Tanzania became the first team to qualify through this route earlier in the month by virtue of winning the Africa Qualifier, with Afghanistan now joining them as winners in Asia.
The focus now shifts to East Asia-Pacific, where Japan, Fiji and PNG will compete for their World Cup place in Sano, Japan from 24 to 29 April.
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