UAE to host U-19 World Cup 2014

under-19-worldcup-2014
India will open its ICC U19 Cricket World Cup title defence against traditional rival and two-time former champion Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium (DICS), Dubai Sports City, on 15 February 2014.
The tournament will be staged across seven venues in the UAE from 14 February to 1 March, and will also be participated in by Afghanistan, Canada, Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Scotland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) besides the 10 Full Members.
India, which also won the tournament under Mohammad Kaif and Virat Kohli in 2000 and 2008, respectively, defeated Pakistan by one-wicket in an enthralling semi-final before going on to beat Australia by six wickets in the 2012 final in Townsville, Australia.
In the 2010 event in New Zealand, Pakistan beat India in a last-ball thriller in the quarter-final in Lincoln. The two sides also met in the final of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2006 in Colombo where Pakistan defended a modest total of 110 to win by 39 runs.
In the 16-day tournament, 48 matches will be played across seven venues, which are: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi; Abu Dhabi Oval 1; Abu Dhabi Oval 2; Sharjah Cricket Stadium; Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai Sports City; ICC Academy Oval 1, Dubai, and ICC Academy Oval 2, Dubai.
On the opening day of the tournament on 14 February, four matches will be played, with 1998 winner England taking on the UAE at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi; Zimbabwe locking horns with Canada at Abu Dhabi Oval 1; New Zealand meeting Sri Lanka at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, and South Africa taking on the West Indies at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The format of the competition is such that the 16 teams have been divided into four groups, with the top two teams progressing to the Super League quarter-finals, while the two bottom teams from each group qualify for the Plate Championship quarter-finals.
The four groups are:
Group A                    
Group B                    
Group C                    
  Group D
India
Australia
South Africa
New Zealand
Pakistan
Bangladesh
West Indies
England
Scotland
Afghanistan
Zimbabwe
Sri Lanka
PNG
Namibia
Canada
UAE
ICC General Manager – Cricket, Mr Geoff Allardice, while announcing the groups and fixtures in Dubai, said: “The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup is a hugely important event for international teams and for the ICC, as it showcases the future stars of international cricket.
“The tournament has produced more than 40 Full Member players that have gone on to captain their side in international cricket in different formats - Brian Lara, Graeme Smith and Inzamam-ul-Haq, to name a few. The ICC U19 CWC gives the world’s best young cricketers a chance to test their skills in a truly global event.
“Teams will need to be at their best every day if they want to win the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup. We expect to see some spectacular cricket.”
Sri Lanka’s ODI captain Angelo Mathews played in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cups 2006 and 2008, and, reflecting on his time at these events said: “Having played in a couple of ICC U19 Cricket World Cups, I can tell you that this is the best stage for any raw talent to polish his skills and see if he’s worthy enough of progressing to the biggest stage of them all – international cricket at the senior level.
“The lessons that I learned in Bangladesh in 2004 and in Sri Lanka in 2006 have, in hindsight, been truly invaluable.
“I didn’t get to bat too much in Bangladesh in 2004, but did enjoy some success with the ball, especially against Zimbabwe in a group match, and that gave me the confidence to pursue greater heights, and told me I belonged in international cricket.
“A couple of years later, my all-round performance in four matches instilled the belief in me that I was ready for the big league. I boasted my team’s second highest average with the bat, 51, in the 2006 edition. And with the ball, I topped the averages at 17.66 and had an economy rate of 3.24. It was the confidence of that success that I carried through to the big league, and which went a long way in my journey towards donning national colours and eventually leading the senior side.”
The UAE tournament will be the 10th edition of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup since its inception in 1988. Australia won the tournament in 1988, 2002 and 2010, England was the champion in 1998, India held aloft the trophy in 2000, 2008 and 2012 and Pakistan was the winner in 2004 and 2006.
Previous events
EVENT YEAR
HOST
WINNER
RUNNER-UP
1988
Australia
Australia
Pakistan
1998
South Africa
England
New Zealand
2000
Sri Lanka
India
Sri Lanka
2002
New Zealand
Australia
South Africa
2004
Bangladesh
Pakistan
West Indies
2006
Sri Lanka
Pakistan
India
2008
Malaysia
India
South Africa
2010
New Zealand
Australia
Pakistan
2012
Australia
India
Australia

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