Oliver Peake to Lead Australia in Under-19 World Cup Title Defence

Victoria batter Oliver Peake has been named captain of Australia’s Under-19 squad for next year’s ICC Under-19 World Cup in Namibia and Zimbabwe, as the defending champions look to retain the title they won in 2024.

Peake, a left-hander, was the youngest member of the side that defeated India in the 2024 final, scoring an unbeaten 46 in the decider. Since then, he has continued his rapid rise, earning Australia A selection and travelling with the senior Test squad to Sri Lanka earlier this year as a development player. His recent form includes a 92 for Australia A against Sri Lanka A in July and a match-winning 70* for Victoria in the opening Sheffield Shield fixture of the season. He will miss the second half of the BBL due to World Cup commitments.

The 18-year-old is the only returning member from Australia’s previous Under-19 World Cup-winning squad.

Three Uncapped Players Earn Call-Ups

The 15-player squad includes three uncapped New South Wales prospects—Naden Cooray, Nitesh Samuel and William Taylor. Samuel enters the tournament in excellent touch after being named Player of the Tournament at the U-19 National Championships, where he topped the run charts with 364 at an average of 91.

Former Australia head coach Tim Nielsen will lead the team’s coaching staff, supported by Luke Butterworth and Travis Dean.

“We’re delighted to announce a strong and well-balanced squad,” Nielsen said. “Our focus has been on selecting complementary skill sets that give us the best chance of success. It’s an exciting group—some have already been exposed to senior environments, while others are progressing quickly through the pathway. The World Cup is a fantastic opportunity for them to test themselves against the best.”

Strong Pathway Leading into the Tournament

Australia’s 2024 Under-19 group has already produced senior cricketers, with Sam Konstas debuting in Test cricket and fast bowler Mahli Beardman featuring in ODI and T20I squads. However, the youth team’s most recent assignment ended in a 3-0 series loss to India in September.

For the upcoming World Cup, Australia have been drawn in a first-round group alongside Ireland, Japan and Sri Lanka.

Australia Under-19 World Cup Squad

Oliver Peake (capt), Kasey Barton, Naden Cooray, Jayden Draper, Ben Gordon, Steven Hogan, Thomas Hogan, John James, Charles Lachmund, Will Malajczuk, Nitesh Samuel, Hayden Schiller, Aryan Sharma, William Taylor, Alex Lee Young.