Sri Lanka loses U-19 WC hosting rights

India won the 2022 edition in the West Indies     

The International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday relocated the upcoming Under-19 World Cup 2024 to South Africa from Sri Lanka, owing to the ongoing suspension of the latter’s cricket board.  

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) was suspended by the ICC immediately after the World Cup as it found the board in “serious breach of its obligations as a Member, in particular, the requirement to manage its affairs autonomously and ensure that there is no government interference in the governance, regulation and/or administration of cricket in Sri Lanka.”  
The ICC in its meeting held in Ahmedabad was unmoved from its stance on the suspension of SLC. The ICC stated that cricket in the country will continue but since the suspension is there, the hosting rights have been snatched.  

“It was a unanimous decision by the board that the suspension cannot be lifted. Cricket in the country will continue as normal.”  
This will be the third time that South Africa is hosting the tournament after 1998 and the most recent being in 2020. The tournament is set to begin on January 13 and will run till February 9.  

The defending champions India will begin their campaign on January 14 against Bangladesh, who won the tournament last time when it took place in the rainbow nation in 2020.  
Teams are divided into two groups and the top three teams from each of them will qualify for the Super Six.  

The teams: (Group ‘A’): India, Bangladesh, Ireland, and USA. (Group ‘B’): England, South Africa, West Indies, Scotland. (Group ‘C’): Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Namibia. (Group ‘D’): Afghanistan, Pakistan, New Zealand, Nepal. 

(Agencies)