Zimbabwe Cricket will begin its final preparations for the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 with a Christmas Day clash against Afghanistan in a youth one-day international tri-series that also features Pakistan.
The festive-season tournament will be staged in Harare as Zimbabwe sharpens its readiness for the global showpiece, which it will co-host with Namibia from 15 January to 6 February 2026.
The opening match will be played at Harare Sports Club on 25 December, with Zimbabwe facing Afghanistan. Afghanistan will remain at the venue for their next match against Pakistan on 27 December as the competition gathers momentum.
Zimbabwe Cricket Managing Director Givemore Makoni said the tri-series was a vital part of the team’s final build-up to the World Cup.
“This tri-series is a key part of our final preparations for the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup. Playing against strong U19 teams like Afghanistan and Pakistan will give our players the quality match experience they need ahead of a major global event on home soil,” Makoni said.
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The tournament will then move to Prince Edward School on 29 December, where Zimbabwe will take on Pakistan, before shifting to Sunrise Sports Club for the final fixtures of the round-robin stage. Zimbabwe will face Afghanistan again on 31 December, followed by a clash between Pakistan and Afghanistan on 2 January.
The final round-robin match will be staged at Old Hararians Sports Club on 4 January, with Zimbabwe taking on Pakistan.
Makoni added that the tri-series would also help Zimbabwe Cricket fine-tune its operational readiness as a co-host of the World Cup.
“Hosting matches across several venues allows us to test our systems and operational readiness as we prepare to co-host the U19 World Cup with Namibia. It is an important step in ensuring we deliver a successful ICC event,” he said.
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