ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2022 Ultimate Guide: Everything you need to know
The ICC Under 19 World Cup is all set to kick off on 14 January 2022, with hosts West Indies facing off against Australia in the tournament opener.
The 14th edition of the tournament will feature the rising stars of 16 countries battling it out in 48 matches, with Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago hosting the matches across 10 venues.
Ahead of the tournament, here's everything you need to know about the World Cup:
THE GROUPS
Group A - Bangladesh, England, Canada, United Arab Emirates
Group B - India, Ireland, South Africa, Uganda
Group C - Afghanistan, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Zimbabwe
Group D - Australia, Scotland, Sri Lanka, West Indies
FORMAT
The tournament will see the top two teams from each of the four groups go through to the Super League stage while the remaining teams will battle it out in the Plate competition.
KEY DATES
Group D commences on 14 January with the host West Indies facing Australia.
Competition in Group A, Group B and Group Cwill begin on 15 January with games between Canada and UAE, India and South Africa, and Pakistan and PNG respectively.****
Trinidad and Tobago will host the Plate competition between 25 and 31 Januarywhile the Super League action will commence on 26 January in Antigua and Barbuda.
The two semi-finals will be played on 1 and 2 February at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground and Coolidge Cricket Ground respectively.
The Final will be played on 5 February at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
HOW TO WATCH
The ICC U19 World Cup will be streamed live - for FREE - on ICC.tv (in select regions) as well as with local broadcasters.
TEAMS
Group A
BANGLADESH
Squad
Rakibul Hasan (c), Prantik Nawrose Nabil, Mahfijul Islam, Iftakhar Hossain Ifti, SM Meherob Hasan, Aich Mollah, Abdulla Al Mamun, Gazi Mohammad Tahjibul Islam, Ariful Islam, Md Fahim, Mohammad Musfik Hasan, Ripon Mondol, Md Ashiqur Zaman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Naimur Rohman Noyon.
**Travelling Reserves:**Ahosun Habib Leon, Jishan Alam.
Key Player
**Rakibul Hasan –**The Bangladesh skipper for the upcoming edition of the Under 19 World Cup, Rakibul Hasan was part of the tense final two years ago in South Africa. He finished as Bangladesh's top wicket-taker in the tournament with 12 wickets at an average of 10.16. He has already played more than 30 professional matches at senior level across formats, and will hope to help Bangladesh defend the title this year.
Fixtures
16 Jan - v ENG
20 Jan - v CAN
22 Jan - v UAE
ENGLAND
Squad
Tom Prest (c), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Aspinwall, Sonny Baker, Nathan Barnwell, George Bell, Jacob Bethell, Josh Boyden, James Coles, Alex Horton, Will Luxton, James Rew, James Sales, Fateh Singh, George Thomas.
Travelling Reserves: Josh Baker, Ben Cliff.
Key Player
**Archie Lenham –**A regular for Sussex across formats, this 17-year-old leg-spinner has already grabbed headlines and will be a key part of England's Under 19 World Cup campaign. Hailing from a family of cricketers, Lenham has been impressive in his short professional career so far, and will hope to make merry in his first Under 19 World Cup.
Fixtures
16 Jan - v BAN
18 Jan - v CAN
20 Jan - v UAE
CANADA
Squad
Mihir Patel (c), Anoop Chima, Arjuna Sukhu, Ethan Gibson, Gavin Niblock, Gurnek Johal Singh, Harjap Saini, Jash Shah, Kairav Sharma, Mohit Prashar, Parmveer Kharoud, Sahil Badin, Sheel Patel, Siddh Lad, Yasir Mahmood.
**Non-travelling Reserves:**Ayush Singh, Eran Maliduwapathirana, Ramanvir Dhaliwal, Yash Mondkar.
Key Player
**Mihir Patel –**The 19-year-old leads the Canada side in what would be his second Under 19 World Cup. Being the youngest player to play for Canada Under-19 last time around, he knocked off a 90 against UAE to turn a few heads.
Fixtures
15 Jan - v UAE
18 Jan - v ENG
20 Jan - v BAN
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Squad
Alishan Sharafu (c), Kai Smith, Dhruv Parashar, Punya Mehra, Ronak Panoly, Ali Aamer Naseer, Adithya Shetty, Soorya Sathish, Sailles Jaishankar, Vinayak Vijaya Raghavan, Aayan Khan, Aryansh Sharma, Jash Giyanani, Shival Bawa, Nilansh Keswani.
**Non-travelling Reserves:**Hassan Khalid, Annant Bhargava, Muhammad Zuhaib, Hamad Mohammed Arshad.
Key Player
**Alishan Sharafu –**The 18-year-old Emirati player has already made his ODI and T20I debuts, and is a promising batter to watch out for in this tournament. He became the third-youngest UAE player to play for the senior team in 2020. In late 2020, he turned heads when he made 155 off a mere 83 balls in an age-group game.
Fixtures
15 Jan - v CAN
20 Jan - v ENG
22 Jan - v BAN
Group B
INDIA
Squad
Yash Dhull (c), Harnoor Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, SK Rasheed (vc), Nishant Sindhu, Siddarth Yadav, Aneeshwar Gautam, Dinesh Bana, Aaradhya Yadav, Raj Angad Bawa, Manav Parakh, Kaushal Tambe, RS Hangargekar, Vasu Vats, Vicky Ostwal, Ravikumar, Garv Sangwan.
**Travelling Reserves:**Rishit Reddy, Uday Saharan, Ansh Gosai, Amrit Raj Upadhyay, Amrit Raj Upadhyay.
Key Player
**Harnoor Singh –**The in-form U19 star played a starting role in India's Asia Cup triumph, finishing with 251 runs in five matches, averaging 50.2 and striking at a rate of 82.3. Hailing from a family of cricketers (his grandfather and uncle played in the Ranji Trophy), Harnoon smashed three hundreds in four innings in the 2021 Under 19 Challenger Trophy, racking up 418 runs – the most by any player.
Fixtures
15 Jan - v SA
19 Jan - v IRE
22 Jan - v UGA
IRELAND
Squad
Tim Tector (c), Diarmuid Burke, Joshua Cox, Jack Dickson, Liam Doherty, Jamie Forbes, Daniel Forkin, Matthew Humphreys, Philippe le Roux, Scott Macbeth, Nathan McGuire, Muzamil Sherzad, David Vincent, Luke Whelan, Reuben Wilson.
Travelling Reserve: Robbie Millar.
Non-travelling Reserves: Ryan Hunter, Ewan Wilson.
Fixtures
15 Jan - v UGA
19 Jan - v IND
21 Jan - v SA
Key Player
**Matthew Humphreys –**The slow-left arm spinner comes into the tournament on the back of some riveting performances for the Under 19 team. In the Qualifiers from the Europe region against Scotland, Humphreys took 4/11 and 5/25 and followed it up with another five-wicket haul against Zimbabwe in the Youth ODI series, where he topped the wickets chart with 10 wickets at an average of 9.10.
SOUTH AFRICA
Squad
George van Heerden (c), Liam Alder, Matthew Boast, Dewald Brevis, Michael Copeland, Ethan Cunningham, Valentine Kitime, Kwena Maphaka, Gerhard Maree, Aphiwe Mnyanda, Andile Simelane, Jade Smith, Kaden Solomons, Joshua Stephenson, Asakhe Tshaka.
Travelling Reserves: Hardus Coetzer, Ronan Hermann, Caleb Seleka.
Key Player
Dewald Brevis – The all-rounder shone in the CSA Provincial competitions for South Africa Under 19, and later finished the Youth ODI series against West Indies as the joint top wicket-taker with 10 wickets at an average of 5.30. Northerns recruited him for the 2021-22 season after his showing in the Provincial competition.
Fixtures
15 Jan - v IND
18 Jan - v UGA
21 Jan - v IRE
UGANDA
Squad
Pascal Murungi (c), Munir Ismail(vc), Akram Nsubuga, Christopher Kidega, Pius Oloka, Joseph Baguma, Matthew Musinguzi, Ronald Omara, Cyrus Kakuru, Asaba Brian, Isaac Sanyu Ategeka, Ronald Opio, Ronald Lutaaya, Edwin Nuwagaba, Juma Miyagi.
Key Player
Cyrus Kakuru – The wicket-keeper batter was the leading run-scorer in the Africa qualifier, racking up 161 runs in three innings, including the only hundred in the qualifier from the region. He was one of only two Uganda batters to make over 100 runs in the tournament and made that at a promising strike-rate of 103.87.
Fixtures
15 Jan - v IRE
18 Jan - v SA
22 Jan - v IND
Group C
AFGHANISTAN
Squad
Suliman Safi (c), Ijaz Ahmadzai, Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Suliman Arabzai, Bilal Sayeedi, Allah Noor, Muhammadullah, Khyber Wali, Ijaz Ahmad, Izharulhaq Naweed, Noor Ahmad, Faisal Khan, Naweed Zadran, Bilal Sami, Nangyalai Khan, Khalil Ahmad, Abdul Hadi, Bilal Tarin, Shahid Hassani and Younis.
Key Player
**Noor Ahmad –**Having marked his presence in three global franchise leagues already, left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad is the only survivor from the 2020 Under 19 World Cup and the trump card for Afghanistan in the tournament. He has already played more than 40 senior professional matches across formats and will be more than handy in West Indies.
Fixtures
16 Jan - v ZIM
18 Jan - v PNG
20 Jan - v PAK
PAKISTAN
Squad
Qasim Akram (c), Abdul Faseeh, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Ahmed Khan,Ali Asfand, Arham Nawab, Awais Ali, Faisal Akram, Haseebullah, Irfan Khan Niazi, Maaz Sadaqat, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Shehzad, Rizwan Mehmood, Zeeshan Zameer.
Travelling Reserves: Ghazi Ghori (wk), Mohammad Zeeshan.
Key Player
Zeeshan Zameer – The Pakistan quick was the top wicket-taker in the recent Under-19 Asia Cup, picking up 11 wickets at an average of 9.45, including a best of 5/60 against India. Excellent with his yorkers and bouncers, the young quick clocks over 140 kph consistently. Having already garnered eyes in T20 franchise cricket, Zameer will be one to watch out for in the U19 World Cup in West Indies.
Fixtures
15 Jan - v PNG
20 Jan - v AFG
22 Jan - v ZIM
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Squad
Barnabas Maha (c), Boio Ray, Sigo Kelly, Malcolm Aporo, Toua Boe, Ryan Ani, Aue Oru, Katenalaki Singi, Christopher Kilapat, Junior Morea, Peter Karoho, Patrick Nou, Rasan Kevau, Karoho Kevau, John Kariko.
Non-travelling Reserves: Vele Kariko, Gata Mika, Api Ila.
Key Player
Barnabas Maha – A top-order batter and wily off-spinner, Maha has been around the Papua New Guinea side for three years now. He is also an outstanding fielder and is mentored by current senior team captain, Assad Vala.
Fixtures
15 Jan - v PAK
18 Jan - v AFG
20 Jan - v ZIM
ZIMBABWE
Squad
Emmanuel Bawa (c), Brian Bennet, David Bennet, Victor Chirwa, Mgcini Dube, Alex Falao, Tendekai Mataranyika, Tashinga Makoni, Connor Mitchell, Steven Saul, Matthew Schonken, Panashe Taruvinga, Matthew Welch, Rogan Wolhuter, Ngenyasha Zvinoera.
**Non-travelling Reserves:**Aishah Chibanda, Luyanda Mtomba, Tadiwanashe Mwale, Declan Rugg, Tanaka Zvaita.
Key Player
**Emmanuel Bawa –**A survivor from 2020 edition of the tournament, where he made a hundred against Canada, Bawa will lead Zimbabwe in the U19 World Cup this time. The century at the last tournament put him in an elite group of Zimbabwe batters - Mark Vermuelen, Brendan Taylor and Malcolm Lake - to make centuries at the U19 World Cup. The 17-year-old has expressed his delight at leading the teenage group coached by former national team player Prosper Utseya.
Fixtures
16 Jan - v AFG
20 Jan - v PNG
22 Jan - v PAK
Group D
AUSTRALIA
Squad
Cooper Connolly (c), Harkirat Bajwa, Aidan Cahill, Joshua Garner, Isaac Higgins, Campbell Kellaway, Corey Miller, Jack Nisbet, Nivethan Radhakrishnan, William Salzmann, Lachlan Shaw, Jackson Sinfield, Tobias Snell, Tom Whitney, Teague Wyllie.
Travelling Reserves: Liam Blackford, Liam Doddrell, Joel Davies, Sam Rahaley, Aubrey Stockdale.
Key Player
Cooper Connolly
The skipper for Australia's campaign for the Under 19 World Cup, Connolly has previous experience at the tournament, having played a couple of matches in the 2020 edition of the tournament. The Western Australia star batter made 64 off just 53 balls in one of his two appearances in the previous tournament. Coached by former Australia Test opener Chris Rogers, Connolly comes off a difficult time where he sustained a broken hand that kept him out of grade cricket for Scarborough. He has also been playing for Western Australia's second XI.
Fixtures
14 Jan - v WI
17 Jan - v SL
19 Jan - v SCO
SCOTLAND
Squad
Charlie Peet (c), Jamie Cairns, Christopher Cole, Aayush Dasmahapatra, Olly Davidson, Sam Elstone, Sean Fischer-Keogh, Gabriel Gallman-Findlay, Jack Jarvis, Rafay Khan, Tom Mackintosh, Muhaymen Majeed, Ruaridh McIntyre, Lyle Robertson, Charlie Tear.
Key Player
**Tomas Mackintosh –**The 18-year-old batter topped the run charts in the Europe Region Under 19 World Cup Qualifiers in 2019, smashing 331 runs at an average of 66.3, including a hundred. In 2021, he played for Durham's second XI, making 143 against Kent second XI and then compiling a 120 two months later against Sussex second XI.
Fixtures
14 Jan - v SL
17 Jan - v WI
19 Jan - v AUS
SRI LANKA
Squad
Dunith Wellalage (c),****Shevon Daniel, Anjala Bandara, Pawan Pathiraja, Sadisha Rajapaksa, Wanuja Sahan Kumara, Raveen De Silva,****Ranuda Somarathne, Malsha Tharupathi, Traveen Mathew, Yasiru Rodrigo, Matheesha Pathirana, Chamidu Wickramasinghe, Vinuja Ranpul, Sakuna Liyanage, Abhisheak Liyanaarachchi, Sadeesh Jayawardena.
Key Player
Sadisha Rajapaksa – The 18-year-old right-hander had a stirring Under 19 Asia Cup, where he smashed 131 against Nepal in Sharjah and finished as the third-highest run-getter in the tournament. In March, he made an unbeaten 152 for Royal College in the inter-school Under 19 tournament.
Fixtures
14 Jan - v SCO
17 Jan - v AUS
21 Jan - v WI
WEST INDIES
Squad
Ackeem Auguste (c), Giovonte Depeiza (vc), Onaje Amory, Teddy Bishop, Carlon Bowen-Tuckett, Jaden Carmichael, McKenny Clarke, Rivaldo Clarke, Jordan Johnson, Johann Layne, Anderson Mahase Matthew Nandu, Shaqkere Parris, Shiva Sankar, Isai Thorne.
Travelling Reserves: Anderson Amurdan, Nathan Edward, Andel Gordon, Vasant Singh, Kevin Wickham.
Key Player
**Jaden Carmichael -**The slow left-arm orthodox spinner was the joint top wicket-taker for West Indies in the recent Youth ODI series against South Africa, taking 10 wickets at an average of 9.60. Hailing from St Lucia, Carmichael will likely enjoy the surfaces on offer in the upcoming tournament.
Fixtures
14 Jan - v AUS
17 Jan - v SCO
21 Jan - v SL