3-time champions will take on 2006 champions in their opening game; WIndies play New Zealand in opener 3-time champions will take on 2006 champions in their opening game; WIndies play New Zealand in opener
Three-time champions India and Australia are set to clash in their tournament-opener of the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup scheduled to be held from January 13 to February 3 next year.
India and Australia are clubbed together in Group B along with Zimbabwe and East Asia Pacific qualifier Papua New Guinea, according to the schedule of the tournament announced by ICC on Thursday.
Defending champion West Indies will play host New Zealand on opening day of 16-team tournament which will be played across seven venues.
The West Indies will play host New Zealand in the inaugural Group A day-night fixture at Bay Oval on the opening day of the event, featuring 16 teams across seven venues in four cities: Christchurch, Queenstown, Tauranga and Whangarei.
The other teams in Group A are 2012 champion South Africa and Africa qualifier Kenya.
The 10 Test playing nations (prior to Afghanistan and Ireland's recent inclusion) gained automatic qualification to the event along with the best finishing associate from the last edition, Namibia.
They are joined by five regional qualifiers in the biennial tournament that showcases future stars every two years.
Bangladesh, Canada, England and Namibia comprise Group C while two-time champion Pakistan, Sri lanka, Asia qualifier Afghanistan and Europe qualifier Ireland form Group D in what is the 11th edition of the tournament and the third to be held in New Zealand.
The top two sides from each group will advance to the Super league while the remaining eight teams will figure in the plate championship.
The quarterfinals, semifinals and final of the Super league will be among the 20 matches to be broadcast live. The final will be played at Bay Oval on February 3 while both semifinals will be played at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on January 29 and 30.
The plate tournament will run simultaneously but end with the final at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Christchurch on 28 January.
The captains of the teams coming through the Qualifiers are looking forward to the tournament, which is a stepping stone in the development of all participants - players and match officials.
Afghanistan captain Naveen-ul-Haq said: "The aim is the same as that of any cricketing nation - this dream of winning the World Cup.
"For us it is also the same, to go out there and play some positive cricket and lift the trophy for the country."
Canada captain Abraash Khan said: "We have the skill and the strong mental belief that we can upset any full-member nation on a given day.
"As any other team, we set ourselves on the goal of hopefully winning the World Cup and proving that Canada is another up and coming massive cricketing nation."
Ireland captain Harry Tector: "The guys are obviously delighted to be going to the U19 World Cup. It is a great stage to showcase their talents and we hope we can go to New Zealand and show how good a team we are." BCCI seeks govt nod for Asia Cup
New Delhi: The BCCI will seek the government's clearance to conduct the 2018 Asia Cup, involving Pakistan, in India despite losing the hosting rights of the under-19 continental event due to Pakistan Cricket Board's objections.
"We had written to the government for the U-19 Asia Cup three months ago and we did not get a response. So the event had to be shifted to Malaysia. Now for the senior event, we will again write to the government as there cannot be an Asia Cup without an India or Pakistan," a BCCI official, who did not wish to be quoted, told PTI.
"The India-Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup is the marquee clash. If that doesn't happen, the tournament is meaningless. And let me make it clear, it is not about playing Pakistan in a bilateral event, it is a multi-team event like any ICC event," the official added. Despite the tensions between the two countries, India and Pakistan have been playing each other in world events and recently battled it out twice in the Champions Trophy in England in June.
The women's team, which reached the final of the women's World Cup, too played against Pakistan in the round robin stage of the tournament. "like any ICC event, Asia Cup also involves other teams and an India-Pakistan clash is unavoidable," said the official. He further said that the Asia Cup, which was earlier planned for June, will now be played in the second half of the year.
"The rain could be a factor in June, therefore it was agreed to shift the tournament to September or October. The the final dates will be announced soon."
At the Asian Cricket Council meeting in Sri lanka last week, it was decided that the U-19 Asia Cup will have to be moved out of India to Malaysia and will be held in November. Pakistan, where no big team has played post the terrorist attack on the Sri lankan team bus in lahore in 2009, had opposed playing in India citing security seasons. Sri lanka, however, have agreed to tour Pakistan next month.
"We waited for government clearance for three months and after no clarity, the ACC decided to shift the tournament to Malaysia," the official said confirming that the Indian U-19 team will be playing Pakistan in the event to be held in Malaysia.