The Under-19 Cricket World Cup is a 50-over biennial tournament organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It was first held in Australia in 1988 as the Youth World Cup with eight teams.
Thereafter, the tournament was staged after 10 years in 1998 with 16 teams and it has been a 16-nation tournament held regularly every two years ever since.
Australia were the winners of the first-ever ICC Under-19 World Cup in 1988. The Aussies under the captaincy of Geoff Parker beat Pakistan by five wickets in the final match at Adelaide. Australia is the only host nation to win the Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
England were the winners of the second edition of the Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 1998. England beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the final match at Johannesburg to clinch their maiden ICC Under-19 World Cup title. England have reached two finals since and lost both — to India in 2022 and to India again in 2026 — and have not won it since.
The Indian cricket team is the most successful team in the Under-19 World Cup winners list, with six titles to its name, two more than anyone else.
Led by Mohammad Kaif, India won their first-ever Under-19 World Cup title in 2000. The Indians beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final match at Colombo. Yuvraj Singh was the player of the tournament with 203 runs and 12 wickets in the tournament.
Eight years later in 2008, the Indian team under the captaincy of Virat Kohli beat South Africa by 12 runs in a rain-marred encounter to win their second Under-19 World Cup title.
India achieved the feat again in 2012 under the captaincy of Unmukt Chand before Prithvi Shaw and Yash Dhull helped the Boys in Blue lift the title in 2018 and 2022.
Apart from India, Australia and England, the Under-19 World Cup winners list includes four other nations – Bangladesh, Pakistan, South Africa and West Indies.
Pakistan won their maiden Under-19 World Cup title in 2004 and repeated the feat in the following edition in 2006 by beating India in the final by 38 runs. Pakistan are the only side to win back-to-back ICC Under 19 World Cup titles.
South Africa won their first ICC Under-19 World Cup in 2014 while West Indies bagged their maiden title in 2016.
While India once again bagged the coveted title in 2018, they failed to defend the title two years later as Bangladesh stunned them in the 2020 final.
In 2022, India extended their record for the most ICC Under-19 World Cups as they claimed their fifth title after defeating England in the summit clash.
Australia took the 2024 title, beating India by 79 runs in the final for their fourth, but India took it straight back. India are the defending champions, having beaten England by 100 runs in the 2026 final at the Harare Sports Club to claim a record sixth Under-19 World Cup.
ICC Under-19 World Cup winners list: Know all the champions from 1988-2026
|
Year |
Winner |
Runners-up |
Host |
|
1988 |
Australia |
Pakistan |
Australia |
|
1998 |
England |
New Zealand |
South Africa |
|
2000 |
India |
Sri Lanka |
Sri Lanka |
|
2002 |
Australia |
South Africa |
New Zealand |
|
2004 |
Pakistan |
West Indies |
Bangladesh |
|
2006 |
Pakistan |
India |
Sri Lanka |
|
2008 |
India |
South Africa |
Malaysia |
|
2010 |
Australia |
Pakistan |
New Zealand |
|
2012 |
India |
Australia |
Australia |
|
2014 |
South Africa |
Pakistan |
UAE |
|
2016 |
West Indies |
India |
Bangladesh |
|
2018 |
India |
Australia |
New Zealand |
|
2020 |
Bangladesh |
India |
South Africa |
|
2022 |
India |
England |
West Indies |
|
2024 |
Australia |
India |
South Africa |
|
2026 |
India |
England |
Zimbabwe and Namibia |
Most successful teams in ICC U-19 World Cup: By each country
| Country | No. of Under-19 World Cups | Winning Years |
| India | 6 | 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022, 2026 |
| Australia | 4 | 1988, 2002, 2010, 2024 |
| Pakistan | 2 | 2004, 2006 |
| Bangladesh | 1 | 2020 |
| South Africa | 1 | 2014 |
| West Indies | 1 | 2016 |
| England | 1 | 1998 |
The 2026 final: India 411, and a 14-year-old with 15 sixes
India won the 2026 tournament, staged across Zimbabwe and Namibia from 15 January to 6 February, by beating England in the final at the Harare Sports Club. Batting first, India made 411 for 9 and won by 100 runs.
The innings that did it came from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who was 14 at the time. He reached his hundred in 55 balls and finished on 175 from 80, with 15 fours and 15 sixes — the highest individual score anyone has made in an Under-19 World Cup final. He was named both Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament. England were bowled out for 311.
Sooryavanshi was not done with 2026. Two months later he was making 776 runs in the IPL at 15.
The tournament’s leading run-scorer was not an India batter. Ben Mayes of England made 444, and his team-mate Manny Lumsden took 16 wickets, more than anyone else managed. England had the individual numbers; India had the trophy.
Common questions about the Under-19 World Cup winners list
Which country has won the most Under-19 World Cups? India, with six — 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022 and 2026. Australia are next on four.
Who won the 2026 Under-19 World Cup? India, beating England by 100 runs in the final at Harare on 6 February 2026.
Has a host nation ever won the Under-19 World Cup? Once. Australia won the inaugural 1988 edition at home, and no host has managed it in the fifteen tournaments since.
Has any team won back-to-back Under-19 World Cups? Pakistan, in 2004 and 2006. They are still the only side to have done it.
More cricket record books
- How many World Cups have India won?
- T20 World Cup winners list
- ODI World Cup winners list
- ACC U19 Asia Cup winners list
Compare the best cricket betting sites in India
Author: Kaustubh Potdar
Featured photo: Michele Spatari / AFP