Tough draw for Under-19 at junior WC

The team, at all age levels of the game, has in previous competitions played second fiddle to 2000 and 2008 champions India and the West Indies. Only Papua New Guinea, a largely unknown outfit, appears the favourable opposition.

Meanwhile, defending champion and host Australia will head Group A, having been drawn alongside 1998 winner England, Nepal and Ireland. Group B is made up of the last event’s runner-up and two-time winner Pakistan, New Zealand, Scotland and Afghanistan Sri Lanka, South Africa, Bangladesh and Namibia make up Group D.

The event will get underway in Queensland next August.

“The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup is a very important tournament for us and I want to congratulate those six teams who have qualified to take part in Queensland next year. This tournament has proved to be an important stepping stone for elite young cricketers aspiring to play international cricket. It’s an opportunity for them to develop and test their skills in a high-pressure situation against the world’s best at this level,” said Haroon Largot, ICC chief executive,

“We also use it as an opportunity to educate them on several important issues like anti-corruption, anti-doping and social responsibility expected of international cricketers while also exposing them to the ICC Code of Conduct and media attention.”