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Two young cricketers of Sri Lankan origin have been selected for the Australian men’s squad for the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup. Nathan Cooray and Nitesh Samuel, both from New South Wales, were named in the squad, head coach Tim Nielsen announced.
Cricket Australia has released a 15-member squad for the 2026 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, which will be held in Namibia and Zimbabwe from January 15 to February 6. The team features players from diverse backgrounds, including two of Sri Lankan origin (Cooray and Samuel), two of Indian origin (Aryan Sharma and John James), and Alex Lee Young of Chinese origin.
Oliver Peak has been appointed captain of the Australian U19 team.
The squad, led by head coach Tim Nielsen with assistant coaches Luke Butterworth and Travis Dean, will compete in Pool A alongside Ireland, Japan, and Sri Lanka. The team will travel to Namibia in early January, with matches scheduled from January 9 to 14.
Coach Nielsen said he was pleased to announce a strong and well-balanced squad for the tournament. He noted that the selected players had performed impressively in the U19 series against India in September and the recent U19 National Championship in Perth. He added that the World Cup would provide an excellent platform for these young cricketers to showcase their talent on the world stage.
Cricket Australia’s head of national development, Sonia Thompson, said the inclusion of new players would bring valuable experience, fresh energy, and excitement to the squad. She emphasised that the tournament would be a significant opportunity for these emerging athletes to demonstrate their skills internationally.
Source: https://auslankanews.com.au/
