UNDER-19 WORLD CUP 2022 TO BE HELD IN WEST INDIES, SCHEDULE OUT.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) have announced schedule for the upcoming ICC U-19 Men’s World Cup that’ll be played in West Indies. 16 teams, across 10 venues in Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago will compete from 14th of January to 5th of February for the title.

NEW ZEALAND’S WITHDRAWAL FROM UNDER-19 WORLD CUP :
New Zealand have withdrawn from the 2022 men’s Under-19 World Cup owing to extensive mandatory quarantine restrictions for minors on their return home. Scotland, who initially missed qualification are the 16th team to participate in New Zealand’s absence.

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 group stage will take place across Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago between 14 and 22 January.

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

GROUPINGS, ICC U-19 MEN’S WORLD CUP :
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

Hosts, West Indies will take on Australia in season opener on 14th of January. Sri Lanka and Scotland too begin season on the same day at Everest Cricket Club, Guyana.

India will take on South Africa and Pakistan will take on Papua New Guinea on 15th of January to get their campaign underway. England and defending champions, Bangladesh will get their season underway on the 16th of January.

Hosts, West Indies have won the Under-19 World Cup once, Australia thrice and Pakistan twice. England, South Africa and Bangladesh have won it once each. It’s been India who’ve been dominant in this ICC event and have been crowned champions four times.