England lost the U19 World Cup 2026 final against India by 100 runs.
Caleb Falconer may have finished the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026 final on the losing side, but the England youngster grabbed the eyeballs with his remarkable effort against India in Harare on Friday, February 6. England lost the U19 World Cup 2026 final by 100 runs against India, who lifted the title for the record sixth time.
Chasing a daunting target of 412 in the Under-19 World Cup 2026 title clash, Caleb Falconer scored a brave 115 off just 67 balls. On a day dominated by Indians, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hammering a record-breaking 175 and the Boys in Blue clinching the title took spotlight, Caleb Falconer stood out for England.
England started their chase with promise as Ben Dawkins (66), Ben Mayes (45), and captain Thomas Rew (31) provided a strong foundation. But Rew’s dismissal sparked a mini collapse where England lost the next four wickets for just three runs. As the match slipped away, Falconer stepped up when it mattered most, displaying his range of shots and ability to hit sixes at will beyond his years.
Batting at No. 5, Caleb Falconer launched a counterattack, firing on all cylinders and sending India’s bowlers all over the park. His innings was laced with nine fours and seven sixes, with an impressive 171.64 strike rate. While wickets fell at regular intervals at the other end, Falconer did not hesitate to play his shots and tonk even the good balls in the stadium, though it just delayed the inevitable.
The highlight of his innings came when he reached his century in style, hammering a slower delivery from RS Ambrish over long-off for six on the 64th ball he faced. Removing his helmet, kissing the badge, and raising his bat to the crowd, Falconer celebrated a special moment on the biggest stage and special event. Though India’s massive total ultimately proved too much, his innings ensured England went down fighting.
In the process, Caleb Falconer also forged England’s highest partnership of the innings, adding 92 runs with James Minto for the eighth wicket. He scored 63 of those runs, taking on much of the responsibility for the chase. Eventually, he was the last batter dismissed.
His century in the final capped an impressive Under-19 World Cup 2026 campaign. Caleb Falconer finished as the sixth-highest run-scorer in the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026, accumulating 309 runs in six innings at an average of 61.80 and a strike rate of 104.74, including one century and one fifty. With the ball, the English cricketer also contributed three wickets against Scotland, with an average of 6.33 and an economy rate of 3.93.
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Born in Gqeberha, South Africa, Caleb Falconer shifted to England for better opportunities. The son of cricket coach Stuart Falconer, he grew up around the game and honed his skills. He later joined Millfield School in Somerset on a sports scholarship and quickly made an impact in youth cricket.
The rise of Caleb Falconer then joined Middlesex, where he delivered standout performances for the Under-18 team and Second XI. His impressive performances earned him the Middlesex Men’s Youth Player of the Year award in 2024 and a rookie contract with the county until at least the end of the 2027 season.
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