U19 World Cup 2023: ICC shifts hosting rights from Sri Lanka Cricket to South Africa

The scheduled dates for the ICC U19 World Cup 2023 tournament are from January 13 to February 9.

U19 World Cup 2023

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially announced the relocation of the upcoming Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2023 from its initially designated host nation, Sri Lanka, to South Africa. This decision stems from the suspension of the Sri Lankan Cricket (SLC) board due to alleged government interference.

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The firm stance on the suspension of SLC was reiterated during an ICC meeting held in Ahmedabad. Despite the suspension, cricket activities are set to continue as usual in Sri Lanka. A source closely connected to the developments said, "It was a unanimous decision by the board that the suspension cannot be lifted. Cricket in the country will continue as normal".

The unanimous choice of South Africa as the new host was driven by its superior infrastructure and prior experience hosting the tournament in 1998 and 2020. The scheduled dates for the tournament are from January 13 to February 9, overlapping with the second edition of the SA20 tournament, which begins on January 10.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has expressed confidence in managing both events simultaneously. India, the defending champions, will initiate their campaign on January 14 against Bangladesh.

The list of participating teams includes Sri Lanka (hosts), Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies, and Zimbabwe.

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