Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2024: All you need to know
The 2024 Under-19 Cricket World Cup will commence on January 19, 2024. Reigning champions India will start their campaign against Bangladesh on January 20. The tournament which was earlier scheduled to be played in Sri Lanka has been shifted to South Africa due to the uncertainty in SL cricket. The Willowmoore Park in Benoni will host the final of the tournament on February 11.
South Africa will host the 2024 U-19 World Cup
Cricket South Africa chipped in at the last minute after the ICC decided to move the tournament from Sri Lanka. The decision to shift the tournament was taken during the ICC board meeting in Ahmedabad. Although the SA20 schedule overlaps with the tournament, CSA is confident mainly because the SA20 is managed by an autonomous body independent of the CSA.
A look at the format of the tournament
The tournament will see 16 teams split into four groups, with the top three teams progressing to the next stage. However, there are some changes with the progression from the last Under-19 World Cup. The 12 qualified teams will be split into two groups, with Super Six coming into the place. The top two teams from there will qualify for the semi-finals.
Here are the groups
Group A: India, Bangladesh, Ireland, and USA. Group B: England, South Africa, West Indies, and Scotland. Group C: Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Group D: Afghanistan, Pakistan, New Zealand, and Nepal.
A look at the venues
The tournament will be played across five venues. The Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein, JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, Kimberley Oval in Kimberley, Buffalo Park, East London, and Willowmoore Park in Benoni are the venues for this tournament. The semi-finals and the final will be played in Benoni.
India won the 2022 U-19 World Cup
Under the leadership of Yash Dhull, the Indian U-19 team defeated England in the final of the 2022 U-19 World Cup in the West Indies. The young Indian team bowled out England for only 189/10 in the title clash before chasing it down in 47.4 overs. They registered a four-wicket win, with Raj Bawa starring with a 5/31 along with an important 35-run knock.
Records from the U-19 World Cup
India have won the Under-19 WC trophy five times. They have also won 11 consecutive matches in the tournament. South Africa's Dewald Brevis has scored the most runs in a single edition of the tournament, with 506 runs in 2022. Bangladesh's Enamul Haque has picked up the most wickets in a single edition. He scalped 22 wickets in 2004.
