Will Malajczuk Smashes Fastest U19 World Cup Century as Australia Cruise into Super Six

The defending champions Australia have marched into the Super Six stage of the ICC Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2026 with a commanding eight-wicket victory over Japan in Bulawayo. The match will be remembered for Will Malajczuk's extraordinary innings that rewrote the record books.

Japan's Batting Effort: Tani-Kelly Anchors the Innings

Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Japan faced early adversity with the dismissal of Nikhil Pol. However, Nihar Parmar and Hugo Tani-Kelly steadied the ship with a crucial 58-run partnership that gave Japan a platform to build upon.

Tani-Kelly's Masterclass Continues

Fresh off a century in his previous outing, Hugo Tani-Kelly once again proved to be the backbone of Japan's batting lineup. After Parmar fell to a smart piece of Australian fielding for 33, Tani-Kelly found support from Charles Hinze, with the pair adding 24 runs off 22 balls.

The tail-end resistance came from Montgomery Hinze, whose patient 29 off 51 deliveries allowed Tani-Kelly to guide Japan past the 200-run mark. Tani-Kelly remained unbeaten on 79, setting Australia a target of 202 runs.

Australia's Response: Malajczuk Enters Record Books

Australia's chase was nothing short of spectacular, with openers Will Malajczuk and Nitesh Samuel dismantling any hopes Japan had of causing an upset.

Record-Breaking Opening Stand

The pair posted a blistering 135-run partnership in just 15 overs, effectively ending the contest as a competition. Malajczuk was the chief destroyer, blazing his way to a century off just 51 deliveries – the fastest hundred in ICC Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup history.

Malajczuk's Historic Knock

Malajczuk's innings of 102 runs from 55 balls was a masterclass in aggressive batting. His record-breaking knock provided Australia with unstoppable momentum, leaving Japan with no avenue back into the match.

Nitesh Samuel played the perfect supporting role, remaining unbeaten on 60 as Australia cruised to victory with eight wickets in hand.

Bangladesh vs New Zealand: Rain Has the Final Say

In the other Group fixture, New Zealand and Bangladesh were forced to share points after persistent rain allowed only 10 overs of play.

Brief Action Before the Downpour

Bangladesh won the toss and inserted New Zealand to bat. The Kiwis made a promising start with Aryandeep Mann and captain Thomas Jones at the crease following Hugo Bogue's early departure. However, the heavens opened at the end of the 10th over, and no further play was possible.

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This marks New Zealand's second consecutive match abandoned due to rain, leaving their Super Six qualification hopes in a precarious position.

Looking Ahead: Crucial Fixtures on the Horizon

Upcoming Matches

• Thursday: Japan vs Ireland
• Friday: Australia vs Sri Lanka (both teams unbeaten)
• Friday: Bangladesh vs USA
• Saturday: New Zealand vs India

Australia's clash with Sri Lanka promises to be a blockbuster encounter, with both teams boasting perfect records in the tournament. For New Zealand, the match against India on Saturday becomes a must-win scenario after two rain-affected fixtures.

Tournament Implications

Australia's dominant display reaffirms their status as favourites to retain their Under-19 World Cup crown. With Malajczuk in record-breaking form and a bowling attack that contained Japan effectively, the defending champions look formidable heading into the Super Six stage.