WI to open U-19 World Cup against NZ

DUBAI: Defending champions West Indies will begin their 2018 Under-19 World Cup campaign against hosts New Zealand in Tauranga on January 13, the opening day of the tournament.

West Indies and New Zealand have been placed in Group A, along with South Africa and the Africa qualifier, Kenya.Tauranga will also host the tournament final, on February 3.

Sixteen teams will participate in the 2018 edition, including the five qualifiers — Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Canada, Afghanistan and Ireland.The ten Test teams [prior to Afghanistan and Ireland’s elevation] and Namibia, who finished as the best Associate team in the 2016 edition, had gained automatic qualification.

Runners-up of 2016 and three-time champions India, who blanked England 5-0 in the recently-concluded series, have been slotted into Group B with Zimbabwe, Australia and Papua New Guinea. Australia will make their return to the tournament, having pulled out of the 2016 edition in Bangladesh due to security concerns.

Bangladesh, who were semi-finalists in 2016, will compete with England, Namibia and Canada in Group C.Two-time champions Pakistan and 2016 semi-finalists Sri Lanka are in Group D with Afghanistan and Ireland.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super League, while the remaining eight teams will feature in the Plate competition.  —Agencies