ICC U19 World Cup 2026: Rehaan replaces injured Dylan in Tanzania squad
Dylan Thakrar's tournament came to an early end following a left middle finger injury suffered during Tanzania's second match of the competition
Tanzania’s Under-19 squad for the 2026 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup has welcomed a late change after a key player was ruled out due to injury. Rehaan Ahtif has been officially approved as a replacement for Dylan Thakrar, who sustained a finger injury in their recent Group D match against South Africa.
Thakrar ruled out after injury
Dylan Thakrar’s tournament came to an early end following a left middle finger injury suffered during Tanzania’s second match of the competition. The injury was assessed by the team’s medical staff and subsequently confirmed as severe enough to prevent him from taking further part in the World Cup. With Thakrar unable to continue, Tanzania moved quickly to nominate a replacement.
Rehaan gets the nod from ICC technical committee
The Event Technical Committee of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 has approved the inclusion of Rehaan Ahtif into the Tanzania squad. This approval was necessary under tournament regulations, which require formal clearance before any substitution can be made official during the event.
The committee making the decision includes Wasim Khan (Chair and ICC General Manager – Cricket), Sarah Edgar (ICC Senior Manager – Events), Hamilton Masakadza (Tournament Director), and independent member Tash Farrant. Their role is to oversee all technical aspects of team participation, including player eligibility and replacements.
Impact on Tanzania’s campaign
Tanzania will now look to integrate Ahtif into their tournament plans as they continue their campaign through the group stages of the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026. The competition, hosted in Zimbabwe and Namibia, features 16 teams vying for the junior world title.