Five-time champions India will commence their 2024 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup campaign against 2020 winners Bangladesh in Bloemfontein, while hosts South Africa take on the West Indies in the tournament opener on January 19.
The ICC released the schedule for the 16-team event on Monday, with five venues across South Africa to host a total of 41 matches over more than three weeks in January and February in the 15th edition of the Under 19 showcase. The event was earlier scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka but was shifted to South Africa because of financial and political crisis.
India prevailed in the last edition of the tournament in the West Indies in 2022 and are placed in Group A with Bangladesh, Ireland and the USA as they attempt to claim a record sixth Under 19 title.
Group B consists of England, South Africa, West Indies and Scotland. Group C features Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Namibia, while Group D is made up of Afghanistan, Pakistan, New Zealand and Nepal.
The top three sides from each group progress to the Super Six phase of the event ahead of the semi-finals and final in Benoni.
It will be the third time that South Africa has hosted the Under 19 World Cup - after previous editions in 1998 and 2020 - and ICC Head of Events Chris Tetley believes the country is well placed to build on the success of holding two recent tournaments over the last year.
All teams will play two warm-up fixtures in South Africa between January 13-17.
ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Groups:
Group A: India, Bangladesh, Ireland, USA
Group B: England, South Africa, West Indies, Scotland
Group C: Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Namibia
Group D: Afghanistan, Pakistan, New Zealand, Nepal
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