Ollie Peake named Australia U19 captain for the upcoming 2026 World Cup as they look to defend their title.
Ollie Peake to captain Australia in Under-19 World Cup title defence.
Oliver Peake, a batsman from Victoria, will lead Australia’s Under-19 team in their quest to win the World Cup in Namibia and Zimbabwe next year.
Peake has already played for Australia A and toured to Sri Lanka with the Test team earlier this year as a development player. He was the youngest member of the team that defeated India in the 2024 final, when he scored an undefeated 46.
In July, he scored 92 against Sri Lanka A in Darwin and led Victoria to victory against South Australia in their opening Sheffield Shield match of the year with a calm 70 not out. He has a BBL deal with the Melbourne Renegades as well, but he will miss the second half of the competition due to the World Cup.
The only player from the previous World Cup participating in this edition is Peake.
Three uncapped players from New South Wales, Naden Cooray, Nitesh Samuel, and William Taylor, are part of the Australia team. At the most recent U-19 National Championships, Samuel was the top run scorer with 364 at 91 and was named Player of the Tournament.
Former Australia head coach Tim Nielsen will lead the team, with assistance from Luke Butterworth and Travis Dean.
“We’re delighted to announce a strong and well-balanced squad for the ICC Under-19 World Cup,” Nielsen said. “Our focus has been on selecting a group with complementary skill sets that provide the best chance of success in tournament.
“The players named have impressed with their performances during the U-19 series against India in September and at the recent National U-19 Championship in Perth.
“It’s an exciting group, some have already experienced senior training environments, while others are progressing rapidly through our pathway. The World Cup is a fantastic opportunity for these young cricketers to showcase their talent and test themselves against the best in the world.”