The ensuing 16-team ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup (CWC)’24 organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC), will commence in South Africa in a new format without quarterfinals on January 19.
Hosts South Africa (SA) will play West Indies at JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom while Ireland will face Unites States at Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein in opening day's fixture.
Bangladesh team, the champions of 2020, now already in SA to conduct pre-event camp in Potchefstroom, will start their U-19 WC mission taking on their giant neighbor and holders India in Bloemfontein on January 20.
Bangladesh, which was placed in Group A with India, United States and Ireland, will play Ireland on January 22 at Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein and United States on January 26 at the same venue in the remaining group matches.
The Under -19 WC was introduced in 1988 an biennial tournament where India won the title for a record five times, Australia clinched the title thrice, Pakistan twice while Bangladesh, England, South Africa and West Indies won the title once each. The upcoming tournament will be held on new format without any quarterfinal.
Initially, all the participating 16 teams spilt into four groups -- Group A, B, C, D, will face each other within the group on league basis matches.
Later, the top three teams from each group will advance to the 12-team Super Six stage.
The fourth-placed teams in Group A and D will face each other while the fourth-placed teams in Group B and C will face each other in a classification match to decide positions.
In the super-six stage, top three teams from Group A and D will be included in a six-team group while top three teams from Group B and C will be put in another group.
Each team will carry forward the number of points, wins, NRR they have earned against their fellow super-six qualifying teams. Each team will play two matches in the super-six stage against the opponents from other group (i.e. the AI team will play only D2 and D3 teams in the super-six stage while A2 team will play only D1 and D3 teams).
The top two teams from each of the two super-six group will qualify for the semi-finals and later two winning semifinalists will play in the final.
Left-arm spinner Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby, who led the Bangladesh team to win the first ever U-19 Asia Cup crown recently, will also lead the team in the U-19 WC.
Bangladesh U-19 team : Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby (Captain), Ashiqur Rahaman Shibli, Jishan Alam, Chowdhury, Md Rizwan, Adil Bin Siddik, Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Boranno, Ariful Islam, Shihab James, Ahrar Amin (Vice Captain), Sheikh Parvez Jibon, Rafi Uzzaman Rafi, Rohanat Doullah Borson, Iqbal Hasan Emon, Wasi Siddiquee, Maruf Mridha.