The six remaining teams that will join the Full Members at the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2012 in Australia are now known following the completion of the qualifying tournament in Ireland. And the team groupings for the 15-day celebration of youth cricket have now also been finalized.
The event will get underway in Queensland exactly one year from today and Scotland will be there as the leading Associate after winning eight of its nine matches during the qualifiers, which took place in Dublin and Derry.
New Zealand will feature in Group B along side last event’s runner-up and two-time winner Pakistan with Scotland and Afghanistan completing the group.
Defending champion and host Australia will head Group A having been drawn alongside 1998 winner England, Nepal and Ireland while 2000 and 2008 champion India has been drawn in Group C along with West Indies, Zimbabwe and PNG. Sri Lanka, South Africa, Bangladesh and Namibia make up Group D.
Group A: Australia, England, Nepal, Ireland
Group B: Pakistan, New Zealand, Scotland, Afghanistan
Group C: West Indies, India, Zimbabwe, PNG
Group D: Sri Lanka, South Africa, Bangladesh, Namibia
ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: “The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup is a very important tournament for us and I want to congratulate those six teams who have qualified to take part in Queensland next year.
“This tournament has proved to be an important stepping stone for elite young cricketers aspiring to play international cricket. It’s an opportunity for them to develop and test their skills in a high-pressure situation against the world’s best at this level.”
