Basel, 28 February 2026 — The Cricket Switzerland U19 Pathway National Squad kicked off their preparation campaign for the ICC 2028 U19 World Cup Qualifier (Division 2) with their first official training session at St. Jakobhalle in Basel.
All selected players were in attendance — even the currently injured ones — demonstrating the group’s collective commitment to the journey ahead. The morning session focused on fitness assessments, individual skill drills, and early team-building activities. These base performance evaluations will form the foundation of the squad’s development plan over the coming months, with a strong emphasis on improving fitness and consistency.
In a pleasant surprise for late February, the weather turned out to be excellent, allowing the team to move outdoors in the afternoon to the nearby Bachgraben Cricket Ground. There, the players participated in an intra-squad training match, getting their first taste of competitive outdoor cricket together.
Throughout the day, Head Coach Jonty was deeply engaged — observing, encouraging, and taking many, many, many notes as he evaluated player performances and team dynamics. The squad impressed with their work ethic, enthusiasm, and willingness to support one another, laying a promising groundwork for the upcoming months.
The next training session is scheduled to take place outdoors in Embrach, near Zurich, where the U19 squad will share part of the session with the senior men’s national team — a great opportunity for the young players to learn from the country’s top cricketers and further strengthen their connection to Cricket Switzerland’s national pathway.
The journey to 2028 has only just begun, but the spirit, commitment, and unity shown in Basel suggest that Switzerland’s U19s are well on their way to building something special.
