The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that all 16 sides for this month’s ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2016 have now been confirmed.

The 11th edition of the tournament will be held across eight venues in four Bangladesh cities from 27 January to 14 February, and will feature nine Test playing countries as well as seven Associate and Affiliate Members, namely Afghanistan, Canada, Fiji, Ireland, Namibia, Nepal and Scotland.

The warm-up matches will be played from 22 to 25 January.

The tournament will open with the match between defending champion South Africa and host- nation Bangladesh at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) in Chittagong and will culminate with the final at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

All matches will be day fixtures and will start at 0900 local time. The Super League semi-finals and final will have reserve days.

The squad-list reveals that as many as 18 cricketers will take part in their second successive ICC U19 Cricket World Cup.

The host country Bangladesh has named five players who played in the previous event in the United Arab Emirates, where the side finished ninth. These players are Mehidy Hassan Miraz, who has been retained as captain, Najmul Hossain Chanto, Joyraj Sheik Imon, Zakir Hasan and Saeed Sarker.

Afghanistan has retained four players from the 2014 tournament where the Asian side finished seventh. The four players are Ihsanullah Janat, captain for this month’s event, Muslim Musa, Waheed Shafaq and Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar.

India, which has won the tournament thrice, has named three players who were part of the squad that finished fifth in the last edition in the UAE. These players are Sarfraz Khan, Ricky Bhui and Avesh Khan.

Canada, New Zealand and West Indies have retained one player each from their 2014 campaigns. Abraash Khan of Canada, Shimron Hetmyer of the West Indies and New Zealand’s Josh Finnie will be returning to Bangladesh as captains of their sides. Canada achieved 15th position, the West Indies claimed sixth position and New Zealand finished 10th in 2014.

Namibia has retained two players from the side which finished 14th. Zane Green will return as captain, while SJ loftie-Eaton is the other survivor from the UAE event.

Ryan Brown is the only Scotland player who will be appearing in his second successive ICC U19 Cricket World Cup. Brown played just one match last time and bagged two wickets for 18 runs.

Defending champion South Africa, like England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, will be appearing with a completely fresh set of players, though Dayyaan Galiem who will appear in this edition, was named in South Africa’s original squad for the 2014 event but was later withdrawn.

Both Ireland and Nepal are returning to the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup after missing out on the 2014 event. It will be their seventh appearances, respectively. Coincidentally, both the sides have retained 12 players each from the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier, which was won by Nepal with Ireland finishing second.

Fiji will be making its maiden appearance in Bangladesh after winning the East Asia-Pacific U19 Cricket Trophy in Blenheim, New Zealand, from 24-28 February. It has retained 13 players from that successful campaign.

For the first time in the history of this competition, ICC will produce live broadcast coverage of an unprecedented 20 matches. The matches which will be shown around the world by ICC broadcast partner, Star Sports and its licensees. These include four from Chittagong, nine from Mirpur and seven from Fatullah. In the 2014 event in the UAE, Star Sports and its licensees had broadcast 11 matches, while 10 matches each were televised from the 2008, 2010 and 2012 events in Malaysia, New Zealand and Australia respectively.

Squads:

Group A

South Africa – Tony de Zorzi (capt.), Ziyaad Abrahams, Dean Foxcroft, Dayyaan Galiem, Willie Ludick, Wandile Makwethu, Conner McKerr, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Wiaan Mulder, Luke Philander, Farhaan Sayanvala, Lutho Sipamla, Liam Smith, Kyle Verreynne and Sean Whitehead.

Coach – Laurence Mahatlane

Bangladesh – Mehidy Hassan Miraz (capt.), Jaker Ali Anik,, Saleh Ahmed Shawon Gazi, Mohammed Saif Hassan, Zakir Hasan, Shafiul Hayet, Mehede Hasan, Mohammad Abdul Halim, Joyraj Sheik Imon, Ariful Islam Jony,   Sanjit Saha,  Najmul Hossain Shanto, Saeed Sarker,  Shaif Uddin,

Coach – Mohammad Mizanur Rahman

Scotland – Neil Flack (capt.), Haris Aslam, Ryan Brown, Scott Cameron, Harris Carnegie, Mohammad Azeem Dar, Mohammad Ghaffar, Rory Johnston, Ihtisham Malik, Finlay McCreath, Mitchell Rao, Owais Shah, Simon Whait, Jack Waller, Ben Wilkinson.

Coach - Gordon Drummond and Cedric English

Namibia – Zane Green (capt.), Petrus Burger, Charl Brits,  Fritz Coetzee, Niko Davin, Sj Loftie-Eaton, Mushi Honga,   Burton Jacobs, Lohan Louwrens, Jurgen Linde, Michael Van Lingen,  Chrischen Oliver, Francios Rautenbach, Warren Van Wyk, Eben Van Wyk,

Coach - Rangarirai Manyande

 Group B

Pakistan – Gohar Hafeez (capt.), Muhammad Asad, Saif Ali,  Saif Badar, Sameen Gul,  Salman Fayyaz, Shadab Khan, Hasan Khan, Irfan Liaqat, Hasan Mohsin,  Umair Masood, Zeeshan Malik, Arsal Sheikh, Ahmad Shafiq. Mohammad Umar,

Coach - Muhammad Masroor

Sri Lanka – Charith Asalanka (capt.), Sammu Ashan, Kaveen Bandara, Jehan Daniel,  Avishka Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Wanidu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Kamindu Mendis, Charana Nanayakkara, Thilan Nimesh, Vishard Randika, Lahiru Samarakoon, Damitha Silva,

Coach - Roger Wijesuriya

Afghanistan – Ihsanullah Janat (capt.), Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar, Zahir Ahmadzai,  Qais Hassan, Karim Janat, Ikram Ali Khail,  Shamsurrahman Wali Khail, Zahir Khan, Muslim Musa, Nijat Masood, Parwiz Malikzai, Nasir Omar, Naveed Obaid, Waheed Shafaq, Tariq Stanikzai,

Coach – Dawlat Ahmadzai

Canada – Abraash Khan (capt.), Bhavindu Adhihetty, Thursaanth Anantharajah, Akash Gill, Abdul Haseeb, Wijayaraj, Suliman Khan, Arslan Khan, Mamik Luthra,  Miraj Patel, Shlok Patel, Kurt Ramdath, Sarbot Sivia, Harsh Thaker, Amish Taploo, Prushoth

Coach – Errol Barro

 Group C

England – Brad Taylor (capt.), George Bartlett, Jack Burnham, Mason Crane, Sam Curran, Ryan Davies, Aneurin Donald, George Garton, Ben Green, Max Holden, Dan Lawrence, Saqib Mahmood, Tom Moores, Callum Taylor, Jared Warner

Coach – Andy Hurry

West Indies – Shimron Hetmyer (capt.), Shahid Crooks, Keacy Carty, Michael Frew,  Jyd Goolie, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Ryan John, Kirstan Kallicharan, Obed McCoy, Gidron Pope, Keemo Paul, Odean Smith, Shamar Springer, Emmanuel Stewart,

Coach – Graeme West

Zimbabwe – Brandon Mavuta (capt.), Trevvor Chibvongodze, Jeremy Ives, Adam Keefe, Kundai Matigimu, William Mashinge, Wessly Madhevere, Rugare Magarira, Sydney Murombo, Ryan Murray, Richard Ngarava, Akshay Patel, Brendan Sly, Shaun Snyder, Milton Shumba,

Coach – Stephen Mangongo

Fiji – Saimoni Tuitoga (capt.), Josaia Baleicikoibia, Malakai Cokovaki, Petero Cabebula, Jack Charters,  Jordan Dunham, Vaibhav Kapadia, Delaimatuku Maraiwai, Ledua Qionivoka, Samuel Saunokonoko,  Cakacaka Tikoisuva, Peni Vuniwaqa, Sosiceni Weleilakeba, Tuwai Yabaki,

Coach – Shane Jurgensen

 Group D

India – Ishan Kishan (capt.), , Rishabh Pant (vice-capt), Khaleel Ahmed,  Zeeshan Ansari, Rahul Batham,  Ricky Bhui, Mayank Dagar, Armaan Jaffer, Sarfaraz Khan, Amandeep Khare, Avesh Khan, Mahipal Lomror, Shubham Mavi, Anmolpreet Singh, Washington Sundar,

Coach – Rahul Dravid

New Zealand – Josh Finnie (capt.), Finnley Allen, Josh Clarkson, Zak Gibson, Christian Leopard, Felix Murray, Aniket Parikh, Dale Phillips, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Talor Scott, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Daniel Stanley, Ross ter Braak

Coach – Bob Carter

Nepal – Raju Rijal (capt.), Dipendra Airee,  MD Sunil Dhamala, Himanshu Dutta, Saurabh Khanal, Sushil Kandel, Yogendra Karki, Sandeep Lamichhane, Ishan Pandey, Shankar Rana,  Prem Tamang,  Arif Sheikh, Sandeep Sunar, Dipesh Shrestha, Rajbir Singh,

Coach – Jagat Tamatta

Ireland – Jack Tector (capt.), Rory Anders, Andrew Austin, Varun Chopra, Adam Dennison, Stephen Doheny, Aaron Gillespie, Josh Little, Gary McClintock, William McClintock, Tom Stanton, Harry Tector, Fiachra Tucker, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White.

Coach – Ryan Eagleson

Top two sides from each group will progress to the Super League stage, while the bottom two sides will feature in the Plate Championship.

Under 19 World Cup Team hosted for Dinner by Sri Lanka Cricket

A dinner by Sri Lanka Cricket President Thilanga Sumathipala for the Sri Lanka Under 19 World Cup team and their parents was held on Wednesday at Hilton Colombo Residences. This was the first time that a junior team was hosted prior to a tour.

Minister of Sports Dayasiri Jayasekara too was present to speak to the team and wish them well for a successful tour in the forthcoming Under19 World Cup. 

Legendary Cricketer Aravinda de Silva who was invited by Sumathipala to speak to the youngsters on his experience in his cricketing career, advised the boys how to handle pressure, on the importance of fitness and mental attitudes on the field.  He shared with the team how the National Team handled the mental pressure of the 96 World Cup Tournament. He stressed that Sri Lanka Junior Cricket is one of the best in the world and can compete on par with any country. 

Sumathipala speaking at the event expressed his confidence in the youngsters to bring the coveted world cup trophy home. He requested the boys to perform well and to play to the best of their ability and to have the passion to bring glory to the motherland. He also went on to thank the parents for their dedication towards their children and the sport. He assured that the Newly Elected Executive Committee of SLC would give its unstinted support to Junior Cricket as he believes that these School Boys are the future flag bearers of this country.