With 44 days to go, the ICC U19 World Cup 2018 was launched here. It is a 16-team event that brings together future stars who will compete across four cities and seven venues in New Zealand from 13 January to 3 February.
Attendees for the Event:
The function was attended by Hon Grant Robertson, Minister for Sports and Recreation of New Zealand, ICC Chief Executive David Richardson, New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive David White and Event Brand Ambassador Corey Anderson among others.
Speaking on the occasion, Richardson thanked New Zealand Cricket for hosting the tournament for the third time and extolled the importance of the U19 Cricket World Cup in grooming players from the world.
ICC CEO expressed his views on the tournament and said that the players gain a lot of exposure from the tournament.
“The ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup is special for so many reasons. It gives players an unrivaled experience of global events, a real flavor of international cricket at senior level and a glimpse into what life as one of the world’s best is really like. This event plays an important role in developing the participating teenagers into international professionals, teaching them invaluable lessons in comradery, discipline, leadership, playing under pressure and of course in the spirit of the game,” said Richardson.
Moreover, most of the great players have played this tournament.
“A host of past and present stars have come through the U-19s since its inception in 1988. The fact that a number of current captains including Kane Williamson, Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root, Sarfraz Ahmed, Dinesh Chandimal and Eoin Morgan have all played in the event demonstrates the caliber of cricket we have come to expect at this event”, Richardson added further.
While addressing the media, Corey Anderson’s said that the tournament provides the right opportunity to a player to learn and improve his game.
“It is an honour for me to be associated with this tournament as its Brand Ambassador. I played in two U-19 World Cups in 2008 and 2010 and can’t forget the experience of playing with the upcoming best from around the world. I was lucky to have figured in the tournament along with players like Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson and Joe Root, all of who have gone on to lead their respective sides in world cricket. The tournament provides players with many learning which hold them in good stead as they develop into top-class cricketers”, Anderson said.
Details of the Tournament – Schedule, Venues and much more:
Details of the Trophy Tour for the tournament were also revealed during the event, which was attended by current players from the New Zealand and the Windies sides.
The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup Trophy Tour will commence in Wellington on December 1. It will culminate in Lincoln on December 13 after several school and club visits to create awareness about the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup and to drive attendances,
The West Indies are the defending champions of the tournament. It is a widely acknowledged as a platform to inspire the next generation of cricketers and fans. Australia and India have been most successful in the tournament, winning the title three times each. Pakistan is the only side to have defended the title when they emerged victorious in the 2004 and 2006 editions while England and South Africa are the other teams to have won the tournament.
