Schedule for ICC Men’s U-19 World Cup announced; Team India to open against South Africa

Dubai: The West Indies will host the 14th edition of the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup for the first time ever, as the event which showcases the future stars of the game will see 16 teams travelling to the Caribbean to compete in 48 matches from January 14 to February 5 across four host countries.

The sixteen teams competing will see current holders Bangladesh, England, Canada and the United Arab Emirates form Group A, with debutants Uganda placed in Group B alongside India, South Africa and Ireland. Group C comprises Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Papua New Guinea and Group D sees host West Indies, Australia and Sri Lanka.

Scotland complete the tournament line up in Group D after New Zealand withdrew due to the extensive mandatory quarantine restrictions for minors on their return home.

The four host countries have been confirmed as Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago with ten venues hosting matches. The format will see the top two teams from each of the four groups advance to the Super League while the remaining teams feature in the Plate across 23 days of competition.

The 48-match schedule will begin with hosts West Indies taking on Australia, with Sri Lanka facing Scotland in Guyana on January 14. The group stage will take place across Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago between January 14 and 22.

Trinidad and Tobago will host the Plate competition between January 25 and 31, with the Super League taking place in Antigua and Barbuda from January 26. The semifinals will be played on February 1 across two venues; the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground and Coolidge Cricket Ground on February 2. The final on February 5 will also be held at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.

“The ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup is such an exciting and special tournament, bringing together the future stars of the game and giving them an unrivalled experience of competing on the global stage. So many of the best players have competed at the U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup including Virat Kohli, Babar Azam, Joe Root and Shimron Hetmyer and we are looking forward to the 2022 edition to see who emerges as the future stars,” ICC head of events Chris Tetley said in a statement on Wednesday.

“We are delighted that the West Indies will be hosting this event and we wish all the teams the very best in their preparations for the tournament and to Cricket West Indies in organising the event.”

The West Indies have won the title once in 2016, with India being crowned champions four times, Australia three times, Pakistan twice while England, South Africa and Bangladesh have won it once each.

There will be 16 warm-up matches taking place between January 9 and 12 in St Kitts and Nevis and Guyana.

ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Groupings:
Group A – Bangladesh, England, Canada, United Arab Emirates
Group B – India, Ireland, South Africa, Uganda
Group C – Afghanistan, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Zimbabwe
Group D – Australia, Scotland, Sri Lanka, West Indies

ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Venues:
St Kitts and Nevis – Warner Park Cricket Stadium , Conaree Cricket Center, (Sandy Point – Warm-up match venue only)
Guyana – Guyana National Stadium, (Everest Cricket Club – Warm-up match venue only)
Trinidad and Tobago – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Queens Park Oval, Diego Martin Sporting Complex
Antigua and Barbuda – Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Coolidge Cricket Ground

ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup match schedule:
January 14: West Indies v Australia, Guyana National Stadium, Guyana; Sri Lanka v Scotland, Everest Cricket Club, Guyana
January 15: Canada v UAE, Conaree Cricket Center, St Kitts and Nevis; India v South Africa, Guyana National Stadium, Guyana; Ireland v Uganda, Everest Cricket Club, Guyana; Pakistan v PNG, Queens Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago
January 16: Bangladesh v England, Warner Park Cricket Stadium, St Kitts and Nevis; Afghanistan v Zimbabwe, Diego Martin Sporting Complex, Trinidad and Tobago
January 17: West Indies v Scotland, Warner Park Cricket Stadium, St Kitts and Nevis; Australia v Sri Lanka, Conaree Cricket Center, St Kitts and Nevis
January 18: England v Canada, Warner Park Cricket Stadium, St Kitts and Nevis; South Africa v Uganda, Queens Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago; Afghanistan v PNG, Diego Martin Sporting Complex, Trinidad and Tobago
January 19: Australia v Scotland, Conaree Cricket Center, St Kitts and Nevis; India v Ireland, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago
January 20: England v UAE, Warner Park Cricket Stadium, St Kitts and Nevis; Bangladesh v Canada, Conaree Cricket Center, St Kitts and Nevis; Pakistan v Afghanistan, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago; Zimbabwe v PNG, Diego Martin Sporting Complex, Trinidad and Tobago
January 21: West Indies v Sri Lanka, Conaree Cricket Center, St Kitts and Nevis; South Africa v Ireland, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago
January 22: Bangladesh v UAE, Warner Park Cricket Stadium, St Kitts and Nevis, India v Uganda, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago; Pakistan v Zimbabwe, Queens Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago

Plate and Super League fixtures take place between January 25 and February 4 at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground and Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua and Barbuda and Brian Lara Cricket Academy , Queens Park Oval and Diego Martin Sporting Complex in Trinidad and Tobago.

February 1: Semifinal, Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua and Barbuda
February 2: Semifinal, Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua and Barbuda
February 5: Final, Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua and Barbuda

(IANS)