The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the schedule for the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2020 in South Africa on Thursday. Defending champions India are in the Group A with New Zealand, Sri Lanka and debutants Japan while the hosts South Africa are in Group D along with the Afghanistan, United Arab Emirates and Canada. The tournament will feature 16 teams and it will be played across four cities and eight venues from January 17 to February 9.
South Africa hosted the same tournament in 1998, whereas they lifted the trophy in 2014. They will play against Afghanistan in the opening game of the tournament at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley on January 17. India, who won the last World Cup in New Zealand, will begin their campaign on January 19 against Sri Lanka at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein.
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As far as the other games are concerned, New Zealand will take on Japan, who will play their debut ICC global event, at the North-West University Oval In Potchefstroom on January 18, whereas Nigeria, who are also making their debut in ICC event, will play against last world cup’s runners-up Australia in Kimberley on January 20 in their first game.
The tournament will feature top 11 full members from the last edition in New Zealand and also the five regional champions Nigeria (Africa), UAE (Asia), Japan (East Asia Pacific), Canada (Americas) and Scotland (Europe) who have been qualified by beating their regional teams.
The warm-up matches will be played from January 12-15 in Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Group A: India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Japan
Group B: Australia, West Indies, England, Nigeria
Group C: Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Scotland
Group D: South Africa, Afghanistan, UAE, Canada
