With only 30 days to go until the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup commences in South Africa, attention is set to turn to the future stars of the game once more, and excitement is building before the action begins on 19 January.
The schedule for the event was announced earlier this month, and will see five cities in the Rainbow Nation hosting 41 matches across 24 days of thrilling competition; Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Potchefstroom, East London and Benoni – the venue selected to host the semi-finals and final.
The most exciting young talent on the planet will make their introduction onto the world stage at the event, which has a strong reputation for having forged the careers of many icons of today’s game.
As well as laying the foundations for the participating players to announce themselves on the world stage, the 15th edition of the event will also celebrate future generations through a vibrant series of engagements with schoolchildren across the host provinces.
Engaging with a broad network of schools, the ICC in partnership with Cricket South Africa will provide thousands of schoolchildren with the opportunity to attend ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup matches, feature as flag bearers and anthem kids, as well as joining in with the next generation of superstars in cricket clinics with the participating teams.
These activities form part of the well-established Cricket 4 Good programme, the ICC’s global community outreach programme, aimed at leveraging the vast power and reach of cricket to transform the lives of children and families worldwide.
The programme, also supported by UNICEF, includes educational workshops as part of the cricket clinics, equipping children with valuable life skills sessions to aid development.
In addition, the coveted U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup will be showcased around schools in the four provinces as part of the Trophy Tour, launched last week at international fixtures in Johannesburg and Gqeberha, and which will enable young fans to get up close to the prize that will be up for grabs at the final on 11 February.
Over the course of the event, the 41 matches will be free to enter, meaning fans and families alike can enjoy the festival atmosphere of matchdays and witness the best young players in the world.
ICC Head of Events Chris Tetley commented: “We are thrilled to have schoolchildren front and centre of the action during the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup. The event has long celebrated the new generations of cricket players and fans that lie ahead of us, and we’re sure by providing a series of vibrant and unique opportunities to young fans through the Cricket 4 Good programme that we can strengthen the future of the sport in the country.”
Reflecting on the upcoming event, Player of the Tournament from the last edition in 2022, South Africa international Dewald Brevis, added: “It’s a really special tournament. As a player, it’s the first taste you get of international competition and I have a lot of fond memories from competing in 2022.
“It’s quite a stage, and is the perfect springboard for any young player to launch their career and get noticed. As the sport moves into an exciting new phase of fearless cricket, we’ll certainly see a lot of talented individuals on show from all of the participating nations.”
All matches will begin at 10:00am local time. The 41 matches will be free to enter
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