Kolkata: The schedule of the U-19 World Cup has been announced with the tournament beginning from the 13th of January next year and ending on February 3.
India have been clubbed in Group B with Australia, Zimbabwe and Papua New Guinea.
The boys in blue kick off their campaign against the Australians in Tauranga on January 14. The other four cities which would host U-19 World Cup is Christchurch, Queenstown, and Whangarei from where as many as seven venues have been selected to host the 11th edition of the tournament.
All the ten Test-playing nations have attained an automatic qualification (before Afghanistan and Ireland got their Test status) which also includes associate nation Namibia, who performed the best among the associate nations in the last edition.
Hosts New Zealand would begin their campaign against the defending champions West Indies in Tauranga on January 13.
Group C comprises of Canada, England , Bangladesh and Namibia while Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Ireland and two-time champions Pakistan make up Group D. This would be the third edition of the U-19 World Cup to be hosted by New Zealand.
The top-two sides from all the four groups would progress to U-19 World Cup Super League while the other eight teams will compete in the plate championship.
Among the 20-matches to be broadcasted live, out of the total of 44, the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final of the Super League have been included. Bay Oval in Tauranga would host the final on the 3rd of February while Hagley Oval in Christchurch would host both the semi-finals on the 29th and 30th of January. However, whether India’s league matches would be telecasted or not remains a doubt.
With the Super League, the plate championship would be simultaneously contested which will have it’s final on the 28th of January at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Christchurch.
The teams would also compete in the warm-up games from the 8-11 of January to get their adrenaline rolling for the tournament.
Here are the groups-
Group A: West Indies, South Africa, New Zealand and Kenya
Group B: India, Zimbabwe, PNG and Australia
Group C: Bangladesh, England, Namibia and Canada
Group D: Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Ireland