DUBAI, UAE, CMC – West Indies will play South Africa at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, in one of four matches on the opening day of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 Cricket World Cup on February 14.
The West Indies is also grouped with Zimbabwe and Canada in the 16-team tournament.
The tournament will be staged across seven venues in the United Arab Emirates from February 14 to March 1, 2014, and will also include Afghanistan, Canada, Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Scotland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) besides the 10 Full Members.
Other matches scheduled for the opening day include 1998 winner England taking on the UAE at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi; Zimbabwe locking horns with Canada at Abu Dhabi Oval 1 and New Zealand meeting Sri Lanka at Sharjah Cricket Stadium
India will open its title defence against traditional rival and one-time former champion Pakistan on February 15.
In the 16-day tournament, 48 matches will be played across seven venues, which are: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi; Abu Dhabi Oval 1; Abu Dhabi Oval 2; Sharjah Cricket Stadium; Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai Sports City; ICC Academy Oval 1, Dubai, and ICC Academy Oval 2, Dubai.
The format of the competition is such that the 16 teams have been divided into four groups, with the top two teams progressing to the Super League quarter-finals, while the two bottom teams from each group qualify for the Plate Championship quarter-finals.
“The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup is a hugely important event for international teams and for the ICC, as it showcases the future stars of international cricket,” said ICC General Manager of Cricket, Geoff Allardice, while announcing the groups and fixtures in Dubai.
“The tournament has produced more than 40 Full Member players that have gone on to captain their side in international cricket in different formats – Brian Lara, Graeme Smith and Inzamam-ul-Haq, to name a few. The ICC U19 CWC gives the world’s best young cricketers a chance to test their skills in a truly global event.
“Teams will need to be at their best every day if they want to win the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup. We expect to see some spectacular cricket.”
The UAE tournament will be the 10th edition of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup since its inception in 1988. Australia won the tournament in 1988, 2002 and 2010, England was the champion in 1998, India held aloft the trophy in 2000, 2008 and 2012 and Pakistan was the winner in 2004 and 2006.
The West Indies best finished in the tournament was runner-up to Pakistan when the tournament was hosted in Bangladesh in 2004.
