PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – With 50 days to go before the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup bowls off, the man who captained the first West Indies Under-19 team is fully backing the team and has called on the region to also give their support.
Dudnath Ramkissoon said the tournament is “a wonderful opportunity for these young men to represent the west Indies.”
“I want them to grab the chance with both hands. A Cricket World Cup is a major event and to play it at home is something extra special as well,” the Trinidadian said during a media interaction at Queen’s Park Oval to mark the countdown to the first ball of the tournament.
“We need to support them. The whole region should come together and give them their full support. This is a crucial stage of their development, and this is a prestigious international cricket event we will be hosting.”
The West Indies will bowl off the tournament against Australia on January 14, 2021 in Guyana.
Ramkissoon, 70, led the first ever West Indies Youth Team on their tour of England in 1970. That summer, they played matches all across the United Kingdom.
“We had a fantastic team and we played some really good cricket. Travelling around the country we played in was a great experience and we were well supported by the fans who came to see us play. It was a memorable tour, and it was an honour to represent the West Indies,” he said.
Cricket West Indies will host the 14th edition of the tournament for the first time ever, as the event which showcases the future stars of the game will see 16 teams travelling to the Caribbean to compete in 48 matches from January 14 to February 5 across four host countries.
Bangladesh, England, Canada and the United Arab Emirates form Group A; debutants Uganda have been placed in Group B alongside India, South Africa and Ireland; and Group C comprises Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Papua New Guinea. Host West Indies, Australia and Sri Lanka are in Group D. Scotland complete the line up in that group as a replacement for New Zealand which withdrew from the tournament because of extensive mandatory quarantine restrictions for minors on their return home.
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 four host countries have been confirmed as Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago, with 10 venues hosting matches.
