3 reasons why India are favourites to win Under-19 World Cup 2026 title

India and England will battle in the Under-19 World Cup 2026 final.

India and England, who are the finalists of Under-19 World Cup 2026, and are set to battle in the summit clash on February 6 at Harare Sports Club in Harare. While India aim for their sixth title in the tournament’s history, England seek to win the trophy for the second time, having previously won in 1998.

Both India and England have been unbeaten in the tournament so far across six matches, crushing each opponent with decent margins. Chasing a mammoth 311-run target by seven wickets against Afghanistan in the semi-final, the Ayush Mhatre & Co. booked a berth in the final on a dominating note.

On the other hand, England outplayed the defending champions Australia in the semis by 27 runs to make it to the final. Notably, the Thomas Rew-led side outplayed India in a warm-up game ahead of the tournament. However, the Men-in-Blue will still be favourites to win the trophy for the following three reasons.

3 reasons why India are favourites to win Under-19 World Cup 2026 title

3. Strong set of openers

Aaron George and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi form an incredible set of openers for India. The duo provide strong starts to the batting and relieve the pressure from the middle and lower-order batters, which has been the case in the tournament so far.

Moreover, they have made a mark at the crucial moments, which was evident in the semi-final against Afghanistan. In the encounter, the duo set the platform for India’s victory at the start in the lead-up to the mammoth 311-run chase.

2. Better batting and bowling depth

India have a lot of all-rounders in their squad with the likes of Aaron Goerge, Vedant Trivedi, RS Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, and Khilan Patel. They have made notable contributions in both batting and bowling. Their presence has enabled India to have a better depth in both departments.

1. Brilliant record in tournament’s history

India have a far better record than England in Under19 World Cup’s history. With five titles, the Men-in-Blue are the most successful team in the tournament. On the other hand, England have won the tournament only once.

Moreover, India also outplayed England in the final of the 2022 edition. Hence, India have an edge over England with their brilliant track record in the campaign over the years.

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