Unbeaten Scotland Chargers defeated Surrey Strikers by 112 runs at Oakham School and qualified for the CORE Global Champions Trophy to be played at Dubai during December 2026
Oakham, United Kingdom | August 2026: Scotland Chargers have been crowned CORE Youth Cricket League (CYCL) UK Champions 2026, completing an unbeaten campaign with a commanding 112-run victory over Surrey Strikers in the Grand Final at the historic Oakham School.
Presented by CORE Cricket under the aegis of the International Federation of Corporate Cricket (IFCC), the UK Championship marked the second chapter of CYCL’s 2026 global journey following the successful inaugural UAE Edition.
With the victory, Scotland Chargers have officially secured their place in the CORE Global Champions Trophy in Dubai in December 2026, where CYCL champions from around the world will come together to compete for the inaugural global title.
The UK Edition brought together young cricketers in an environment built around high-quality competition, player development, leadership, international exposure and lifelong connections, advancing CORE Cricket’s vision of creating a truly global pathway for the next generation.
A DOMINANT PERFORMANCE IN THE FINAL
Batting first in the 50-over final, Scotland Chargers produced an imposing 331/9, led by a superb 96 from 93 balls by Neil Verma.
He was strongly supported by Fazal Abubakr Farooq (54), Simon Umeed (51) and Nathan Umeed (36) as the Chargers demonstrated the batting depth that had defined their unbeaten campaign.
Surrey Strikers fought hard with the ball, with Ishaan Patel and Josh Thailiani taking two wickets each.
Set 332 for victory, Surrey Strikers struggled to keep pace and finished on 177/9 in 38 overs (DLS). Scotland Chargers emerged as emphatic 112-run winners, sealing the CYCL UK title. A one-hour rain interruption during the chase led to the target being revised to 290 runs from 38 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) system
CYCL UK 2026 FINAL
- Scotland Chargers — 331/9 (50 overs)
- Surrey Strikers — 177/9 (38 overs) – DLS
SCOTLAND CHARGERS WON BY 112 RUNS
FOUR MATCHES. FOUR WINS. UNBEATEN CHAMPIONS.
Scotland Chargers completed an exceptional UK campaign with a perfect record of four victories from four matches, including three consecutive league wins before producing their biggest performance in the Grand Final.
The championship also produced outstanding individual performances across the Scotland Chargers squad.
Fazal Abubakr Farooq was named Player of the Tournament for his all-round contribution with bat, ball and in the field, while captain Simon Umeed was recognised as Bowler of the Tournament.
Mueez Ahmad registered two half-centuries during the championship, Neil Verma produced the tournament’s defining final innings with 96, while Nathan Umeed, Jatin Dodaka and Satvik Varunkumar made important contributions with bat and ball. Satvik also recorded a half-century and contributed with his off-spin.
Most importantly, Scotland Chargers’ success was built around a complete squad effort, with players contributing at critical moments throughout the championship.
FROM OAKHAM TO DUBAI — THE GLOBAL JOURNEY CONTINUES
The CYCL UK Championship follows the inaugural UAE Championship, where Gladiators became the first national champions to secure their position on the global stage.
Scotland Chargers now join them as the second champion confirmed for the CORE Global Champions Trophy — Dubai, December 2026.
🇦🇪 UAE CHAMPIONS — GLADIATORS
🇬🇧 UK CHAMPIONS — SCOTLAND CHARGERS
NEXT STOP — CORE GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TROPHY, DUBAI
The CYCL 2026 journey continues across multiple cricketing nations, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Nepal, New Zealand and Australia, as CORE Cricket builds towards the December global championship.
Each edition is designed to identify emerging talent and give young cricketers the opportunity to progress from national competition to a truly global stage.
LEGENDS AND LEADERS CELEBRATE THE CYCL UK CHAMPIONSHIP
“Young cricketers develop when they are challenged by strong competition and given the opportunity to perform under pressure. Scotland Chargers demonstrated consistency, discipline and quality throughout the championship. Their opportunity to now compete against champions from other countries in Dubai is exactly the kind of international exposure that can accelerate the development of young players.” Mudassar Nazar, Founding Member, CORE Cricket | Former Pakistan Test Cricketer and Leading Allrounder
Young cricketers also benefited from interacting with cricketing legend Mudassar Nazar and former internationals Samit Patel, Shezad Altaf and Muhammad Ramzan, gaining valuable insights from their experience.
“Bringing the inaugural CYCL UK Edition to Oakham School has been a proud and rewarding experience. Alongside a high standard of cricket, it was wonderful to see players, parents, coaches, and teams building friendships and creating lasting memories. Sanjeeb Mohanty, Co-Founder, CORE Cricket & Director CORE Cricket UK
The matches were officiated by an outstanding and vastly experienced (having officiated over 4000 games amongst them) panel of professional umpires, including ECB National Panel umpire Pete Epton, whose expertise added significantly to the players’ learning experience.
Congratulations to Scotland Chargers on their exceptional unbeaten campaign and to all participating teams for contributing to a tournament played in such a positive spirit. This inaugural edition has provided a strong foundation and through CORE Cricket we look forward to making future editions of CYCL UK even bigger and better for the next generation of cricketers.”
“CYCL is creating a pathway where young players can begin in their own cricketing environment, compete nationally and eventually test themselves against players from around the world. The UK Edition demonstrated the depth of emerging talent and the passion these youngsters have for the game. Congratulations to Scotland Chargers and to every player who became part of this growing global cricket community.” Shahzad Altaf, Founding Member, CORE Cricket | Former UAE International Captain
“Youth development requires competitive cricket, quality coaching, performance exposure and opportunities to experience different cricketing environments. CYCL is bringing these elements together within one global ecosystem. Birmingham Stallions, Surrey Strikers and London Supreme Legends played very good cricket and competed with flair and pride but Scotland Chargers played outstanding cricket throughout the tournament and Dubai will provide these players another opportunity to test themselves at the next level.” Gopal Jasapara, ACC Level 3 Coach | Former UAE Player
“A superb championship for Scotland Chargers, four matches, four convincing victories and an unbeaten run to the title. The boys showed tremendous discipline, focus and team spirit, with outstanding performances from Player of the Tournament Abubakr Farooq, captain and Bowler of the Tournament Simon Umeed, Mueez Ahmad, Neil Verma, Nathan Umeed, Jatin Dodaka, Satvik Varunkumar and crucial contributions from every member of the squad. Oakham School provided a fantastic setting with top-class facilities and our thanks goes to CORE UK for creating this opportunity. We are proud to be CYCL UK Champions and excited to take the next step towards Dubai.” Sajid Majeed. Coach, Scotland Chargers
Core Cricket combined high-quality competition, opportunity to interact and learn from former legends of the game and reputed officials, all key ingredients for the development of budding cricket players, in a superbly organised tournament. Oakham School was a magnificent venue, with outstanding facilities and a beautiful setting that provided the perfect stage for young cricketers to showcase their talent. Mikhail Henry, County Cricketer & Coach, London Supreme Legends
London Supreme Legends, Birmingham Stallions and Surrey Strikers played excellent cricket with flair and pride, while Scotland Chargers were outstanding throughout and deserved their success. The opportunity to compete in Dubai now gives these players another exciting chance to challenge themselves and continue their development. We are really looking forward to the CORE UK league next year.
MORE THAN A CRICKET TOURNAMENT
The CORE Youth Cricket League has been created around a larger purpose: to build a structured global ecosystem where young players can develop as cricketers, athletes, leaders and individuals.
The CORE Cricket development pathway focuses on:
- Elite Cricket Competition
- High-Performance Coaching
- Global Talent Identification
- Leadership & Character Development
- Performance Analytics
- Nutrition & Athlete Education
- International Exchange & Exposure
- Education & Future Career Pathways
- Global Networks and Lifelong Friendships
By connecting national championships with High Performance Centres, international camps, technology-enabled player profiles and the Global Champions Trophy, CORE Cricket aims to create a pathway through which young talent can play locally, compete nationally and rise globally.
THE ROAD TO THE GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TROPHY
The conclusion of CYCL UK is not the end of the journey. It is another step towards a much larger destination.
As CYCL Championships roll out across multiple countries during 2026, more champions will earn their opportunity to join Gladiators and Scotland Chargers on the global stage.
In December 2026, those journeys will converge in Dubai for the CORE Global Champions Trophy, bringing together young cricketers from different countries, cultures and cricketing environments to compete for the global crown. For Scotland Chargers, that place has now been earned.
UNBEATEN IN THE UK. CHAMPIONS AT OAKHAM. NEXT STOP: DUBAI.
About CORE Cricket
CORE Cricket, under the aegis of the International Federation of Corporate Cricket (IFCC), is a global cricket development initiative committed to creating structured pathways for young cricketers through elite competition, high-performance coaching, talent identification, education, leadership development and international opportunities.
Through the CORE Youth Cricket League (CYCL) and its wider player-development ecosystem, CORE Cricket aims to build one of the world’s most interconnected youth cricket communities; connecting young players across countries through a shared platform of opportunity, excellence and development.
PLAY. COMPETE. LEAD. RISE.
Media Contact
CORE Cricket — Global Media Office
media@corecricket.co.uk
www.corecricket.co.uk
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