Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Cricket’s men Under-19 team is set to leave the country on Wednesday for South Africa where they will be taking part in the 2024 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup.
The 15th edition of the Under-19 World Cup is scheduled to start on 19 January in Bloemfontein.
Zimbabwe were placed in Group C.
The team returned to Zimbabwe on Friday from India where they were conducting a two-week training camp and will take a few days to rest before embarking on the journey to the south of Limpopo River.
They will be going to South Africa high in spirits after a five-wicket victory in their last match in India where they faced NMSA Select team. Apart from the convincing victory in their last match, Zimbabwe also got a timely boost after they received kit bags from OMTEX ICWC Cricket Institute in Mumbai.
Under the tutelage of Prosper Utseya, Zimbabwe’s opponents in the World Cup are Australia, Sri Lanka and Namibia.
Utseya’s starlets will open their campaign on 21 January against Sri Lanka at the Kimberley Oval in the Northern Cape city of Kimberley.
Zimbabwe will then take on Australia on 25 January before facing Namibia in the last group fixture on 27 January at the same venue.
Defending champions India are placed in Group A with Bangladesh, Ireland and the United States of America as they attempt to claim a record sixth Under-19 title.
Group B consists of South Africa, England, West Indies and Scotland, while Group D is made up of Afghanistan, Pakistan, New Zealand and Nepal.
The top three sides from each group progress to the Super Six phase of the event ahead of the semi-finals and final in Benoni.
Zimbabwe Under-19 team has been putting in the works ahead of the World Cup including a tour to South Africa at the beginning of the month where they played against Dolphins Under-19s (South African franchise team) and the South Africa
Under-19 team.
Earlier this year, the squad also toured India where they played against various clubs from the Asian nation.
The World Cup will now be hosted by South Africa after the initial hosts, Sri Lanka were suspended from competing in ICC events.
That was after a unanimous decision by the sport’s governing body board, was taken as a consequence of the ICC recently provisionally suspending Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) due to extensive Government interference in the board’s administration.
Zimbabwe will be captained by all rounder, Mathew Schonken. – @brandon_malvin
Online Reporter