Guyana officially announced as a host country for ICC U-19 World Cup

Guyana was officially announced on Sunday as one of the host countries for the International Cricket Council (ICC) U-19 World Cup at a ceremony at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence. This will mark the first time the tournament will be hosted in the West Indies.
On January 14, West Indies will battle Australia at the Guyana National Stadium, while Sri Lanka and Scotland will face each other at Everest.
India vs South Africa will be played at the Guyana National Stadium on January 15; Ireland and Uganda are set for Everest on the same day. Admission to all matches will be free.

Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr, who graced the occasion with his presence, projected that a US$3 million economic boost was in store for Guyana.
“We quantified internally at the Ministry that in excess of US$3 million in economic value will be coming to Guyana within the month of January. We were not going to allow an opportunity to host a tournament where you are getting that kind of revenue stream indirectly or directly into the country and let that flitter away,” the Minister said.
This will make Guyana the only country to host matches in all four ICC events that were held in the Caribbean: the 2007 Cricket World Cup; 2010 T20 World Cup, 2018 Women’s T20 World Cup, 2022 (U19 Men’s World Cup.
Sixteen teams travelling to the Caribbean will compete in 48 matches from January 14 to February 5 across the four host countries.
Of the 16 teams competing, current title holders Bangladesh, England, Canada and the United Arab Emirates form Group A, with debutants Uganda placed in Group B alongside India, South Africa and Ireland. Group C comprises Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Papua New Guinea, and Group D features hosts West Indies, Australia and Sri Lanka. Scotland complete the tournament line-up in Group D after New Zealand withdrew due to the extensive mandatory quarantine restrictions for minors on their return home.

The four host countries have been confirmed as Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago with 10 venues hosting 48 matches. The format will see the top two teams from each of the four groups advance to the Super League while the remaining teams feature in the Plate across 23 days of competition.
The group stage will take place across Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago between January 14 and 22.
Trinidad and Tobago will host the Plate competition between January 25 and 31, with the Super League taking place in Antigua and Barbuda from January 26. The semi-finals will be played on February1 across two venues – the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground and Coolidge Cricket Ground on February 2. The final on February 5 will also be held at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.