International career
William Alexander Young was born on 22 November 1992. He is a professional cricketer from New Zealand. Young plays as a batsman for the New Zealand national team and Central Districts. In 2012, he was the captain of the New Zealand Under-19 cricket team during the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
His international debut came in December 2020. Since then, Young has appeared in Test matches, One Day Internationals, and T20 Internationals. He became part of the team across all formats and continued to represent New Zealand on the international stage.
2018
- In December, Young was named in New Zealand's Test squad for the series against Sri Lanka.
- He did not play in any match during that series.
2019
- In March, Young was selected to make his Test debut against Bangladesh at Hagley Oval.
- The match was cancelled on the same day due to a terrorist attack in Christchurch.
- In May, Young was awarded a New Zealand Cricket contract for the 2019–20 season before playing his first international match.
- In May, Young was expected to be named as a reserve player for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
- He chose to have shoulder surgery instead after an injury to his right labrum during a training camp.
2020
- In November, Young was selected in New Zealand’s Test squad for the series against the West Indies.
- On 3 December, he made his Test debut in Hamilton against the West Indies.
2021
- In March, Young was selected for New Zealand’s ODI squad for the series against Bangladesh.
- On 20 March, he made his ODI debut in Dunedin against Bangladesh.
- Later in March, Young was included in New Zealand’s T20I squad for the Bangladesh series.
- On 28 March, he played his first T20I match in Hamilton against Bangladesh.
2022
- In March, during the first ODI match against the Netherlands, Young scored his first ODI century.
- He finished with 103 not out in that match.
2024
- In October and November, Young played in the Test series in India.
- He was named player of the series as New Zealand won 3-0.
- Young scored 244 runs in six innings with an average of 44.8.
- His highest score in the series was 71.
- His last Test match was played against England in Hamilton from 14 to 17 December 2024.
- His last T20I match was played against Sri Lanka in Dambulla on 10 November 2024.
2025
- On 29 March, Young played his last recorded ODI match against Pakistan in Napier.
Leagues Participation
Will Young has focused on international cricket and domestic matches in New Zealand. He has not taken part in major franchise leagues.
Domestic career
Will Young began his domestic cricket journey after an impressive school season in 2010, where he scored nearly 900 runs for New Plymouth Boys' High School. He made his first-class debut for Central Districts in the 2011/12 season. In December 2015, Young became the captain of Central Districts at the age of 23. Under his leadership, the team won the Ford Trophy in 2016 and the Plunket Shield in 2018 without losing a match. Later, Young decided to step down as captain to focus fully on his batting and his goals with the national team.
In May 2019, despite a shoulder injury, he played for a New Zealand XI against Australia in a warm-up series. Young impressed with back-to-back centuries and finished the series with an average above 100. In November 2020, he was also part of the New Zealand A squad for practice matches against the touring West Indies team.
His domestic performances remained strong. In January 2023, he famously hit five consecutive sixes in a T20 match but was caught on the final ball while trying to reach six sixes in an over. Young also signed with Nottinghamshire in July 2023, where he scored a century on his debut against Surrey. He returned to Nottinghamshire in early 2024 and, in April, played a key innings of 174 not out against Somerset. His partnership of 392 runs with Joe Clarke set a new third-wicket record for the club that had stood for over a century.
Young continued to play regularly for Central Districts until 2025 across all formats, maintaining his place as a consistent and reliable batsman in domestic cricket.
Records and achievements
Will Young is a New Zealand cricketer who started his professional journey in 2012 and began playing international cricket in 2020. Across his career, he reached important milestones, led teams to titles, and earned individual awards. His name is linked to national victories and record-breaking moments.
- 2012: Will Young captained the New Zealand Under-19 cricket team during the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
- 2016: As captain, Young led the Central Stags to victory in the Ford Trophy.
- 2018: Young guided the Central Stags to the Plunket Shield title without any defeats throughout the season.
- 2019-2021: Young was part of the New Zealand team that won the ICC World Test Championship.
- 2019: In a warm-up series against Australia, Young scored three strong innings for a New Zealand XI. He finished the series with 60, 130, and 111 runs across three matches, holding an average above 100.
- 2021/22: Young won the ANZ Men's ODI Player of the Year award at the ANZ New Zealand Cricket Awards.
- 2023: In a T20 match, Young hit five consecutive sixes in one over. He attempted the rare six sixes in an over but was caught on the final delivery.
- 2023: Young played for Nottinghamshire on a short contract and scored a century on his debut against Surrey.
- 2024: While playing for Nottinghamshire, Young built a third-wicket partnership of 392 runs with Joe Clarke against Somerset. This stand set a new club record, breaking the previous mark that stood for 121 years.
- 2024: Young was named Player of the Series after New Zealand’s 3-0 Test series win in India. Across six innings, he collected 244 runs with an average of 44.8 and a highest score of 71.
Personal life
Will Young keeps his personal life mostly private, but some facts about his family, finances, and public image are known. His career has stayed free from major scandals, and his fan base continues to grow steadily.
Family
Will Young is married to Elise Yule. As of November 3, 2024, the couple is together, but no public information is available about children.
Finance
By 2024, Will Young’s estimated fortune stands at around 1 million US dollars.
Scandals
In May 2019, Will Young was close to being named as a reserve player for New Zealand in the 2019 Cricket World Cup. He made the decision to go for shoulder surgery instead, after suffering an injury to his right labrum during a training camp.
Fans
Will Young’s fan base is moderate, with around 16,000 followers. His supporters are mainly cricket fans who appreciate his steady performances for New Zealand and Central Districts.
