Cricket West Indies (CWI) has officially announced its 15-member Rising Stars Men’s Under-19 squad for the upcoming 2026 ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup, scheduled to take place across Namibia and Zimbabwe from January 15 to February 6.
The selection reflects a meticulous talent identification process that prioritized performances during regional competitions and international preparatory series. The squad notably includes players who excelled in two recent seven-match Youth ODI series victories—a 5-2 triumph over England in Grenada and a closely fought 4-3 win against Sri Lanka last August and September.
Top-order batsman Joshua Dorne has been appointed captain, cementing his leadership status following an exceptional year across both regional and youth international circuits. All-rounder Jonathan van Lange will serve as vice-captain. The squad boasts significant experience with several members, including Dorne and wicketkeeper-batsman Jewel Andrew, having represented the region at the 2024 edition. Andrew, who made history as the youngest player to represent the senior West Indies team in T20Is earlier this year, also holds the same record for ODIs which he claimed in October 2024.
Trinidad and Tobago’s representation is limited to bowling all-rounder Aadian Racha in the main squad, with batting all-rounder Brendan Boodoo named among four traveling reserves.
CWI’s high-performance manager Dwain Gill emphasized the strategic approach behind team selection: “This squad is the product of a deliberate and well-structured preparation and selection process. Performances in regional Under-17 and Under-19 competitions were closely monitored, with an emphasis on identifying players with specialist skills and the adaptability required for international cricket.”
The team will benefit from the experience of Zachary Carter, Matthew Miller, Jakeem Pollard, Shaquan Belle and Vitel Lawes, all of whom played pivotal roles during the successful home series against Sri Lanka and England. Micah McKenzie brings additional experience having made his List A debut for the West Indies Academy against Sri Lanka’s Emerging Men’s team in June before earning his maiden cap for Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the 2025 CG United Super 50 Cup.
Drawn in Group D alongside South Africa, Afghanistan, and Tanzania, the West Indies will play all group stage matches at the High-Performance Oval in Windhoek, Namibia. Preparatory warm-up matches against Ireland and Japan are scheduled for January 10 and 13 respectively in Windhoek.
The tournament structure will see the top three teams from each group advance to the Super Six phase, followed by semifinals on February 3-4, culminating in the championship final on February 6 at Harare Sports Club in Zimbabwe.