The ICC Americas U19 Championship gets underway in Bermuda on Sunday July 5th, with the winner progressing to the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup, which will be held in Bangladesh from January 22nd to February 13th, 2016. The side that finishes second in Bermuda will participate in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier, whose dates and venue will be announced in due course.
Apart from the host, Canada and the USA will take part in the competition, which will conclude on 12 July and has been reduced to a three-side competition following Suriname’s withdrawal after failing to secure transit visas for its players.
Bermuda, Canada and the USA will play each other in the first round and will carry forward their points into the second round where these sides will again play against each other. The side that tops the table will qualify for the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2016, while the second-placed side will feature in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
Besides playing in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2016, the winning side from the Bermuda tournament will also feature in the West Indies Cricket Board’s U19 tournament, which will be held later this year in Jamaica. This tournament will provide an excellent opportunity to the side to launch its preparations for the Bangladesh tournament, which is considered as a finishing school for future stars.
South Africa will defend its ICC U19 Cricket World Cup title, it won in Dubai last year. The tournament will be completed by the 10 Full Member, which have qualified directly, and six Members below the Full Members. To date, three sides have qualified for the tournament proper. These are: Afghanistan (winner of ACC U19 Premier League), Namibia (winner of ICC Africa U19 Championship Division One) and Fiji (winner EAP U19 Cricket Trophy).
The remaining three sides will emerge from the Bermuda and the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier as well as the ICC U19 Europe Championship.
Nepal, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Uganda have already qualified for the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier and will be joined by the second-placed sides from the Americas and Europe region tournaments.
ICC Americas Under 19 Tournament Schedule – All Matches begin and 11am
Sunday July 5th @ Somerset Cricket Club - USA v Bermuda Monday July 6th @ Lord’s - Canada v Bermuda Tuesday July 7th@ Somerset Cricket Club - Canada v USA Wednesday July 8th - Rain/Reserve Day Round 2 Thursday July 9th@ Lord’s - Bermuda vs USA Friday July 10th @ Somerset Cricket Club - USA v Canada Saturday July 11th@ Lord’s - Bermuda v Canada Sunday July 12th - Rain/Reserve Day
