Dubai, Aug 18, 2024, IANS

Dubai, Aug 18 (IANS) The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday announced the match schedule for the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025 in Malaysia. Defending champions India will start their campaign against West Indies on January 19, a day after the start of the tournament. Sixteen teams from around the world will take part in the 41-match event where the future stars of women’s cricket will announce themselves over 15 days of competition from January 18 to February 2, 2025. Over and above these exciting matches will be 16 warm-up fixtures played from January 13 to 16, in preparation for the main event. The second edition of this exciting tournament comes on the back of a successful inauguration in South Africa in 2023 where India beat England by seven wickets in a thrilling final to be crowned the first-ever winners. It will also be the hosts, Malaysia’s first appearance in the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup as well as Samoa’s first appearance in an ICC World Cup event. The teams will be split into four Groups of four teams each. Group A - India (A1), West Indies (A2), Sri Lanka (A3) and Malaysia (A4), playing at Bayuemas Oval in Selangor. Group B - England (B1), Pakistan (B2), Ireland (B3) and USA (B4) playing at Dato’ Dr. Harjit Singh Johor Cricket Academy (JCA Oval), Johor. Group C - New Zealand (C1), South Africa (C2), Africa’s Qualifier (C3) and Samoa (C4) and playing at Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak. Group D - Australia (D1), Bangladesh (D2), Asia’s Qualifier (D3) and Scotland (D4) and playing at UKM YSD Oval in Selangor. The excitement begins with a triple header on January 18. In Johor, England take on Ireland and Pakistan go up against USA in Group B. Samoa face Africa’s Qualifier, while New Zealand go up against South Africa in the Group C clashes at Sarawak while Australia go head-to-head against Scotland and Bangladesh take on Asia’s Qualifier in Group D’s fixtures at UKM YSD Oval in Selangor. The format will see teams progressing from the Group stages to enter the Super Six stage starting on January 25, where two groups of six teams will compete to determine the semi-finalists and the subsequent finalists. If India qualify for the semi-finals, they will play semi-final 2, which will take place on January 31 at 14h30 local time. ICC CEO, Geoff Allardice said: “We are delighted to announce the schedule for the second edition of the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup and bringing an ICC event of this stature to Malaysia for the first time since the U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2008. “This is a special event to the ICC and forms an important part of our Global Growth Strategy of raising the profile of women’s cricket and further growing the game around the world. It is also a unique opportunity to introduce our vast global audiences to the future stars of the sport. “We look forward to building on the success from the foundation laid at the inaugural event in South Africa in 2023. We wish all the teams the very best of luck in their preparation and to the Malaysian Cricket Association in organising the event.” Malaysia will now be the sole host of the World Cup, following Thailand’s withdrawal as co-host. Full schedule (local time): January 18: Australia v Scotland, 10:30 am, UKM YSD Oval January 18: England v Ireland, 10:30 am, JCA Oval, Johor January 18: Samoa v Africa Qualifier, 10:30 am, Sarawak Cricket Ground (SCG) January 18: Bangladesh v Asia Qualifier, 2:30 pm, UKM YSD Oval January 18: Pakistan v USA, 2:30 pm, JCA Oval, Johor January 18: New Zealand v South Africa, 2:30 pm, Sarawak Cricket Ground (SCG) January 19: Sri Lanka v Malaysia, 10:30 am, Bayuemas Oval January, 19: India v West Indies, 2:30 pm, Bayuemas Oval January 20: Australia v Bangladesh, 10:30 am, UKM YSD Oval January 20: Ireland v USA, 10:30 am, JCA Oval, Johor January 20: New Zealand v Africa Qualifier, 10:30 am, Sarawak Cricket Ground (SCG) Januray 20: Scotland v Asia Qualifier, 2:30 pm, UKM YSD Oval January 20: England v Pakistan, 2:30 pm, JCA Oval, Johor January 20: South Africa v Samoa, 2:30 pm, Sarawak Cricket Ground (SCG) January 21: West Indies v Sri Lanka, 10:30 am, Bayuemas Oval January 21: India v Malaysia, 2:30 pm, Bayuemas Oval January 22: Bangladesh v Scotland, 10:30 am, UKM YSD Oval January 22: England v USA, 10:30 am, JCA Oval, Johor January 22: New Zealand v Samoa, 10:30 am, Sarawak Cricket Ground (SCG) January 22: Australia v Asia Qualifier, 2:30 pm, UKM YSD Oval January 22: Pakistan v Ireland, 2:30 pm, JCA Oval, Johor January 22: South Africa v Africa Qualifier, 2:30 pm, Sarawak Cricket Ground (SCG) January 23: Malaysia v West Indies, 10:30 am, Bayuemas Oval January 23: India v Sri Lanka, 2:30 pm, Bayuemas Oval January 24: B4 v C4, 10:30 am, JCA Oval, Johor January 24: A4 v D4, 2:30 pm, JCA Oval, Johor January 25: Super Six - B2 v C3, 10:30 am, UKM YSD Oval January 25: Super Six - B1 v C2, 10:30 am, Sarawak Cricket Ground (SCG) January 25: Super Six - A3 v D1, 2:30 pm, UKM YSD Oval January 25: Super Six - C1 v B3, 2:30 pm, Sarawak Cricket Ground (SCG) January 26: Super Six - A2 v D3, 10:30 am, Bayuemas Oval January 26: Super Six - A1 v D2, 2:30 pm, Bayuemas Oval January 27: Super Six - B1 v C3, 10:30 am, Sarawak Cricket Ground (SCG) January 28: Super Six - A3 v D2, 10:30 am, Bayuemas Oval January 28: Super Six - C1 v B2, 10:30 am, Sarawak Cricket Ground (SCG) January 28: Super Six - A1 v D3, 2:30 pm, Bayuemas Oval January 29: Super Six - C2 v B3, 10:30 am, UKM YSD Oval January 29: Super Six - A2 v D1, 2:30 pm, UKM YSD Oval January 31: Semi-Final 1, 10:30 am, Bayuemas Oval January 31: Semi-Final 2, 2:30 pm, Bayuemas Oval February 2: Final, 2:30 pm, Bayuemas Oval