Pathway Success as Green and Farooq Named in World Cup Squad

Alex Green and Ali Farooq have been selected to represent England Under-19s at the ICC U19 World Cup, which will be staged across Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Green has been a regular fixture in the England U19 setup, most recently touring the West Indies where he featured in three Youth One-Day Internationals in St George’s, Grenada. He also impressed during the summer of 2025 in a series against India U19, where he claimed the wicket of highly-rated youngster Vaibhav Suryanvanshi.

For Farooq, this marks his first call-up to the England U19 squad. The selection follows an outstanding performance in the inaugural World Junior League, where he was named MVP after competing against some of the best young players from around the world, including academy prospects from counties across the country.

Now heading into his third year within the Academy, Farooq has been part of the club’s pathway since joining at Under-13 level and will be eager to make his mark on the international stage.

Jigar Naik, Head of Talent Pathway, said: 

“Both Ali and Alex fully deserve this opportunity. Ali has been brilliant over the years and his progression and development have been a joy to watch. His work ethic and willingness to keep improving really stand out, and he takes everything in his stride. It’s fantastic to see him named in the squad alongside Alex, who has been a consistent performer at this level, and someone Ali has played alongside throughout their time in the Academy. To see them both reach this milestone together is hugely rewarding.”