Colombo, May 20 (IANS) The Indian men’s U19 team will tour Sri Lanka in July 2026 for a bilateral series comprising three one‑day matches and two four‑day games, said Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Wednesday.

The India U19 men’s squad will arrive in Sri Lanka on June 30, with the tour beginning on July 4 with the first 50-over game to be played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium (MRICS) in Hambantota. It is followed by the second and third games at the same venue on July 6 and 9, respectively.

The longer format contests will then take centre stage, with the first four‑day game scheduled to be played from July 13‑16 at the Galle International Cricket Stadium (GICS). The second four‑day match will be played from July 20‑23 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium (RPICS) in Colombo.

The series is expected to provide valuable exposure to the next generation of cricketers from both countries, especially with India coming in as the winners of this year’s Men’s U19 World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia.

After this, the India U19 men’s team will host Australia for a three‑match one‑day series in Rajkot on September 18, 21, and 23, before shifting focus to the longer format with two four‑day games starting on September 27 in Rajkot and October 5 in Ahmedabad.

India’s 15‑year‑old opening batting prodigy, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, will still be age‑eligible for the series against Sri Lanka and Australia. The young batter first made headlines during India’s U19 series against Australia in 2024, when he struck a blistering 104 off 62 balls in the opening youth Test at Chennai as a 13‑year‑old.

Sooryavanshi, who is currently playing for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026 and will be playing for India A in the 50-over tri-series happening in Sri Lanka from June 9-21, was adjudged Player of the Final and Player of the Tournament in India’s winning Men’s U19 World Cup for a record sixth time.

–IANS

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