Afghan youngsters begin their 2026 tournament journey with a midday match.
Kabul | By Sara Amiri
Afghanistan’s Under-19 national cricket team will begin its ICC U-19 World Cup campaign on Friday with a group-stage match against South Africa.
The fixture marks Afghanistan’s first appearance in the tournament schedule and will be the team’s opening game of the 2026 competition. The match is set to start at 12:00 pm Afghanistan time, according to team officials.
Afghanistan will be aiming for a strong start as it begins its journey in the global youth tournament against one of the competition’s established sides.
The ICC U-19 World Cup is one of the most important pathways for emerging cricket talent, providing young players with the chance to compete internationally and progress toward senior national teams.