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[Saba Sports News] Sixteen teams will vie for the trophy in 41 matches from January 13 to February 4. This includes the top 11 Full Member teams from the previous edition and five teams that earned their spots through regional qualifications: Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Scotland, and the USA.
Five historic venues in Colombo will host the 15th edition, with the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium staging the Semi-Finals and the Final on January 30, February 1, and February 4.
Action kicks off on January 13 with Sri Lanka facing Zimbabwe, while England takes on Scotland, and New Zealand plays Nepal. Defending champions India will begin their title defense against Bangladesh on January 14.
In a new format, teams advancing from the group stage will enter a Super Six stage, starting on January 24, with two groups of six teams competing to reach the Semi-Finals and the Final.
The groups are as follows:
Group A: India, Bangladesh, Ireland, and USA (Americas Regional Qualifier)
Group B: England, South Africa, West Indies, and Scotland (Europe Regional Qualifier)
Group C: Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Namibia (Africa Regional Qualifier)
Group D: Afghanistan, Pakistan, New Zealand, and Nepal (EAP Regional Qualifier)
The ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup has a history of introducing future cricket stars to the world, including Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, and Angelo Mathews.
The competition returns to Sri Lanka for the first time since 2006, offering cricket-loving fans the chance to witness promising young talents. Each team will play two warm-up matches from January 7 to 11.
Sri Lanka, as the host nation, aims to surpass their previous best runner-up finish in 2000. India is the most decorated team in the tournament’s history, with five titles, followed by Australia (3), Pakistan (2), and one title each for England, Bangladesh, South Africa, and the West Indies.