The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup gets underway in Australia today with four matches featuring on the opening day. Asian rivals Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will lock horns at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane in the Group D fixture while three-time champions Australia will launch their title defence against 1998 winner England in the Group A battle at the Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville.
Also on the opening day of the event, which will run till August 26, former champions Pakistan will take on neighbours Afghanistan at John Blanck Oval in Sunshine Coast while Zimbabwe will meet Papua New Guinea (PNG) at Endeavour Park 1, Townsville.
The sixteen sides, including ten full members and six qualifiers — Afghanistan, Ireland, Namibia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and Scotland — have been equally divided into four groups.
The two top sides from each group will qualify for the Super League stage and the bottom two sides from each group will compete in the Plate Championship. The Plate final will be staged on August 24 in Brisbane while the Super League final will take place at the Tony Ireland Stadium on August 26.
Bangladesh have been placed in Group D along with Sri Lanka, South Africa and Namibia.
Bangladesh’s second group match against South Africa will be held tomorrow and the third and final encounter against Namibia will take place on August 16.
-With The Daily Star input
