Oliver Peake's Century Powers Australia U-19 to World Cup Semi-Finals

Australia's Under-19 team secured the first semi-final spot of the ICC Men's Under-19 World Cup with a 22-run victory over West Indies. Captain Oliver Peake anchored the innings with a superb century of 109, guiding Australia to a formidable total of 314 for 7. Despite strong starts from Zachary Carter and Joshua Dorne, the West Indies chase was curtailed by disciplined Australian bowling, led by Charles Lachmund's four wickets. The win marks Australia's fifth consecutive victory in the tournament as they remain unbeaten.

Key Points: Australia U-19 Beat West Indies, Reach World Cup Semi-Finals

  • Oliver Peake's match-winning century
  • Australia posts 314/7
  • West Indies fall 22 runs short
  • Charles Lachmund takes 4 wickets
  • Australia secures semi-final berth
2 min read

Oliver Peake stars as Australia beat West Indies by 22 runs to reach U-19 World Cup semi-finals

Captain Oliver Peake's 109 leads Australia to a 22-run victory over West Indies, securing the first semi-final spot in the U-19 World Cup.

"Peake's resilient 109 off 117 balls provided the backbone of the innings. - Match Report"

Harare, January 28

Australia became the first team to book a semi-finals berth at the ongoing ICC Men's Under-19 World Cup 2026 as they defeated West Indies Under-19 by 22 runs in a high-scoring Super Sixes contest at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.

After being put in to bat, the Australians posted a formidable total of 314/7 in their 50 overs, anchored by a masterful century from captain Oliver Peake. Peake's resilient 109 off 117 balls provided the backbone of the innings after significant contributions from Nitesh Samuel (56) and Will Malajczuk (48) at the top provided Australians with a phenomenal start.

Despite the West Indies' efforts with the ball--highlighted by Jakeem Pollard's 2 for 37 in 8 overs and RJai Gittens' 2/45 in 6 overs --the Australian middle and lower orders capitalised on the final powerplay to set a daunting target of 315.

In response, the West Indies displayed flashes of brilliance but struggled to keep pace with the mounting required run rate. Zachary Carter provided an explosive start with a rapid 64 off just 42 deliveries, and Joshua Dorne anchored the middle period with a steady 62 off 97 balls.

However, the Australian bowling unit, led by disciplined spells from Charles Lachmund (4/66 in 9 overs) and Aryan Sharma (2/47 in 9 overs), restricted the Caribbean side effectively.

Although the West Indies reached 239/3 by the 40.3 overs, the gap proved too wide to bridge. Australia's clinical execution in the field and consistent line and length ensured they remained unbeaten in the tournament, securing their fifth consecutive victory in the tournament; a win that inches them closer to their fifth Under-19 World Cup championship.

Oliver Peake was named the 'Player of the Match' for his match-winning century.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Aryan Sharma with 2 wickets for Australia! Interesting to see an Indian-origin player doing well for them. The globalisation of cricket continues. Hope he gets more opportunities.
P
Priya S
West Indies fought well, but 315 is always a tough chase. Their batting lineup has firepower but maybe lacked a bit of patience in the middle overs. Still, a good game for neutrals! 😊
R
Rohit P
The real test for Australia will be against Asian teams on these pitches. Our spinners would have contained them better in the middle overs. Let's see how they handle pressure against India or Pakistan.
K
Karthik V
Respectfully, while Peake's century was good, the article focuses a lot on Australia. The WI bowlers, especially Pollard, did a decent job in patches. The coverage could be more balanced. Just my two cents.
N
Nikhil C
Future stars on display! These U-19 tournaments are so exciting. Reminds me of when our own Virat, Rohit, and Yuvi were coming through the ranks. Can't wait for India's next match!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50