Surrey’s Ralphie Albert and Alex French, both products of the Surrey Talent Pathway, have been selected in England men’s U19s squad for the 2026 ICC Men’s U19s World Cup, which begins in Namibia and Zimbabwe next month.
Albert, who recently signed his first professional contract with Surrey, made his professional debut in this summer’s Metro Bank One Day Cup and played in Surrey’s final Rothesay County Championship match of the season at Hampshire. He hit 96 against Nottinghamshire Outlaws on his maiden professional innings and battled to a crucial 62 in the second innings of Surrey’s Championship victory over Hampshire. Albert has been part of the Surrey Talent Pathway since U9, playing in every age group along the way and joined the Academy in 2024.
18-year-old French was awarded his first professional contract at the start of the Metro Bank One Day Cup campaign, and took six wickets in four Metro Bank One Day Cup matches this season. A 6’7” tall right-arm fast bowler, French joined the Surrey pathway at the U-14 level and has been a part of the Academy for the last two years.
Both Albert and French have been regularly featured for the England U19s during this cycle. Albert caught the eyes of many when he took ten wickets in the second Youth Test against India at Chelmsford, while French impressed with a best of 4/81 versus Sri Lanka in a Youth Test at Wormsley.
The Young Lions will be based in Zimbabwe and have been drawn in Group C of the 16-team tournament. They open their campaign against Pakistan in Harare on Friday 16 January, before matches against co-hosts Zimbabwe and Scotland.
The top three nations from each of the four groups qualify for the ‘Super Six’ stage, with the final to be staged at the Harare Sports Club on Friday 6 February.
15-player U19s World Cup squad:
Thomas Rew (Somerset – captain)
Farhan Ahmed (Nottinghamshire – vice-captain)
Ralphie Albert (Surrey)
Ben Dawkins (Kent)
Caleb Falconer (Middlesex)
Ali Farooq (Leicestershire)
Alex French (Surrey)
Alex Green (Leicestershire)
Luke Hands (Lancashire)
Manny Lumsden (Hampshire)
Ben Mayes (Hampshire)
James Minto (Durham)
Isaac Mohammed (Worcestershire)
Joe Moores (Lancashire)
Sebastian Morgan (Middlesex)
Somerset wicketkeeper-batter Thomas Rew returns to captain the squad after he was called up to the England Lions for the first time on their recent tour of Australia.
Nottinghamshire all-rounder Farhan Ahmed, who deputised as captain in Rew’s absence during the seven-match Youth ODI series against West Indies in Grenada, retains a leadership role as vice-captain. Uncapped Leicestershire left-arm spinner Ali Farooq has earned his first Young Lions call-up.
England Men U19s Head Coach, Mike Yardy, said: “This is an amazing opportunity for the players we have selected to not only wear an England shirt at a World Cup but also to go out and try and do something special.
“We have a balanced squad with a core group of players who already have county experience and who have developed a camaraderie while playing together for the U19s that will serve them well during the tournament.
“I really want the players to enjoy the opportunity to play at a World Cup, in a beautiful country like Zimbabwe, and to embrace the chance to compete against different countries and show their quality.”
England Men U19s World Cup fixtures – all start times are 0730 (GMT):
Friday 16 January: England Men U19s v Pakistan Men U19s – Takashinga Sports Club, Harare
Sunday 18 January: England Men U19s v Zimbabwe Men U19s – Takashinga Sports Club, Harare
Wednesday 21 January: England Men U19s v Scotland Men U19s – Takashinga Sports Club, Harare
2026 ICC U19s Men’s World Cup groups:
Group A: Australia, Ireland, Japan, Sri Lanka.
Group B: Bangladesh, India, New Zealand, United States of America.
Group C: England, Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe.
Group D: Afghanistan, South Africa, Tanzania, West Indies.
