U19 World Cup 2026: Rew’s Century Led England To Finals

England has earned their place in the Final of U19 World Cup 2026 after beating Australia by 27 runs in a high-energy semifinal at Queens Sport Club, Bulawayo. England Captain Thomas Rew’s phenomenal century was key to England’s victory, eclipsing the great individual performance of Australian Captain Oliver Peake who also scored a stunning century during the game.

Elite Company: Rew and Peake Enter U19 World Cup History

Prior to this semifinal encounter, only five players had scored centuries in the U19 World Cup semifinals. Rew and Peake are now part of an elite group that includes Cheteshwar Pujara, Shubman Gill, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, which highlights the importance of their achievement at the U19 World Cup 2026 semifinals.

England Recover from Early Collapse to Post 277

However, after deciding to bat first on a slow and turning wicket with uneven bounce, England soon found themselves in a spot of bother at 60 for 3. The Australian bowlers started well, with Will Byrom, Aryan Sharma, and Hayden Schiller tearing apart England’s top order.

However, what ensued was a display of leadership qualities of Rew. The England captain showed composure and class while rebuilding the innings.

Rew and Falconer Partnership Turns the Match

Thomas Rew and Caleb Falconer had a 135-run partnership for the 4th wicket of the English innings, which completely turned the match around in England’s favour, making Australia’s bowling attack ineffective. Rew made a half-century off 46 balls and then proceeded to accelerate rapidly with purpose and authority, scoring his century off 97 balls.

Late Runs Push England Beyond Reach

Rew was eventually run out for a magnificent 110, thanks to a sharp direct hit from Steven Hogan. While Australia did tighten the screws towards the end, conceding only 40 runs in the last seven overs, Farhan Ahmed’s unbeaten 28 ensured that England finished strongly with 277 for 7, which is no mean feat in semifinal conditions at the U19 World Cup 2026.

Australia’s Chase Stutters Early

Australia’s response began on shaky legs as Alex French’s accurate yorker dismissed Will Malajczuk. Steven Hogan found it difficult to get going, scoring only 3 runs off 23 deliveries.

Although Nitesh Samuel (47) tried to hold the innings together, frequent dismissals put Australia under pressure at 116 for 4, with the required rate rising.

Oliver Peake’s Lone Battle Keeps Australia Alive

Upon taking the crease at No.5, Australian captain Oliver Peake initiated a counter-offensive through smart shot selection and precise placement of the ball. He quickly reached 50 runs off of just 55 deliveries to go along with an important contribution from Aryan Sharma (the two combined for 64 runs).

Peake scored an incredible century off 85 balls, giving hope of a possible turnaround with only 28 runs required in 18 balls in the U19 World Cup 2026 semifinal.

England Hold Their Nerve Under Pressure

The turning point came when Aryan Sharma was bowled while attempting a massive shot, leaving Peake with fewer partners. Fighting cramps and tiredness, the Australian captain continued to fight, hitting a six and four boundaries in the 46th over to keep the game alive.

However, with only the last wicket left, Peake’s courageous fight came to an end when he was caught at point, dismissed for 100, securing England’s win and Australia’s exit.

England March into U19 World Cup 2026 Final

With the help of their 250 runs made in 47.3 overs, England have recorded a historic 27 run victory over Australia to book their place in the finals of the U19 World Cup 2026 where they will face either India or Afghanistan who will play each other in the other semi-final on that particular day.